Zidane of Burmecia
by Quatermass
Summary: (AU) Instead of Lindblum and Tantalus, Kuja leaves an infant Zidane with the Crescent family of Burmecia. Now, years later, Zidane wanders the lands as the bodyguard and minder of Prince Puck. But an attempt to sneak in to watch a play at Alexandria sends Zidane on a journey where he will find love, experience loss...and find out where he came from.
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

Once more, I show my insanity by creating a new story. This story was an idea I had come up with while working on my Harry Potter/ _Final Fantasy IX_ crossover _A Third Summoner_. In the latest chapter I wrote (to date), Harry requested that Freya adopt him. I actually wondered whether I should do yet another Harry Potter/ _Final Fantasy IX_ crossover where Harry is raised by Freya, but decided I had too many stories like that.

But then, it occurred to me. One of the biggest what-ifs of the game revolves around Zidane. He presumably was left in Lindblum, or near Lindblum, by Kuja, and got adopted by Tantalus. What if he was adopted by someone else? Given that their ages are relatively close (Zidane is 16 and Freya 21 in the game), I thought that Freya would be more like a big sister to Zidane. And while some elements would be the same, others would be different. You'll see.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be immense spoilers for _Final Fantasy IX_.

Secondly, this work will be, as with my other fanfics, heavily annotated. You have been warned. Bellyaching will not be tolerated.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. _Final Fantasy IX_ is the property of its owners. Please support the official release. I mean, it's on Steam and mobiles now, you have no excuse. Otherwise, Eiko will start nagging you, and you know how shrill she can get…


	2. Chapter 1: Rat, Monkey, Mage, Princess,

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **RAT, MONKEY, MAGE, PRINCESS, KNIGHT**

The three figures scurried along the rooftops of Alexandria furtively, bathed in the twilight hues of dusk. Two smaller ones and a taller one, with the leading smaller one carrying a ladder. "Are…are you sure we should be doing this?" said the smaller figure, the one not carrying a ladder.

"Look at it this way," the taller figure said in a confident, cocky tone, his footing the surest of the three figures as they dashed across the rooftops. "We are providing a service to the good folks guarding Alexandria Castle. We are making sure that they are aware of holes in their security, if they catch us. Besides, those tickets are ridiculously expensive. Whatever doesn't go into the coffers of Tantalus probably goes towards funding Queen Brahne's banquets. I'd be willing to bet Tantalus gets less of the money than she does. Then again, I heard of what they get up to."

"And what do they get up to?" the ladderless smaller figure asked timidly.

"They call it 'treasure hunting'," the taller figure said, "but they're more of a gang of thieves. Classy ones, though. Some pretty good exploits, too. Apparently they had the stones to break into the King mansion in Treno. Like, literally, the King family apparently used gemstones as keys for their locks."

"Oh," was all the smaller figure had to say.

"We're almost there," the ladder-carrying figure said after a moment's silence. "We must infiltrate the castle in stealth parameters. Don't talk, don't cough, don't so much as fart!"

"Yeah, yeah, Puck, I know the drill," the taller figure said. "Like that time we snuck on board the _Hilda Garde_."

"And that ended badly, Zidane!" Puck, a short boy with a rat's snout poking out from beneath his fringe, snapped. A tail lashed impatiently.

"Hey, how was I to know that Lady Hilda had gotten pissed off with Regent Cid for having an affair?" Zidane asked. He was a boy in his mid to late teens, wearing blue trousers, a white shirt, and a dark blue waistcoat. A shaggy mop of blonde hair framed a mischievous face, blue semi-feline eyes glinting. A tail poked through a hole in his trousers, though unlike Puck's, who had a rat's tail, Zidane's was like a cat's, or perhaps a monkey's. "At least she landed near Burmecia before evicting us from the airship. She was at least laughing with us about the whole thing, and even gave us pictures of Cid as an Oglop."

"Yeah, but I got grounded by Dad for a month!" Puck retorted. "I had to go through etiquette and diplomacy lessons every day during that time! And you got off lightly!"

"Hey, it was your idea to sneak onto the _Hilda Garde_ ," Zidane said. "It is my duty to guard you and make sure you are safe. Anyway, I didn't get off lightly. Had to go through remedial training with Lady Aegis, and she's a hard taskmaster when she puts her mind to it. Seriously, I got beaten black and blue!"

"Cry me a river! At least you got to be outdoors!" Puck retorted. They reached a point where the roofs of Alexandria Town met some scaffolding leading into Alexandria Castle proper, which Puck laid the ladder over as a makeshift bridge. "Okay, you ready, Vivi?" he asked the third member of their little party.

Vivi nodded. He looked rather strange, a small child dressed in green striped trousers, a blue coat, and a pointy hat. Between the hat and the coat, no face was visible, just a sort of solid, absolute darkness, from within a pair of yellow eyes peered out. The effect was surprisingly not sinister, but rather, endearing. And so, the three of them scurried furtively into the castle, albeit not intent on anything more sinister than watching a play. Although Zidane was hoping to get a glimpse of Princess Garnet, who had just turned 16 today, apparently…

* * *

Zidane watched as Tantalus played their roles. _I Want to Be Your Canary_ was easily Lord Avon's most popular play, though it wasn't his best in his opinion. It was, after all, effectively an improvisational play, with the same basic story elements: Princess Cornelia, forced into an arranged marriage with Prince Schneider, falls in love with the peasant Marcus. King Leo, a cruel and ambitious man who was greedy for Schneider's kingdom, killed Marcus' parents in order to scare him off, only to inflame Marcus' desire for revenge. There was the treacherous Blank, whose side you could never be quite sure he was on. The play was changed with every performance, with even the starting point into the story changed. Sometimes, Cornelia and Marcus managed to elope. Sometimes, they committed suicide to be together in death. Avon created a number of scenes that theatre companies could mix and match(1).

Even so, he found his mind less on the play, and more on his sister, even with the interesting fight between Blank and Cinna. Well, adopted sister, anyway, but they never treated each other as anything but siblings. Since Freya left Burmecia three years ago, searching for Fratley, Zidane had met her a grand total of five times, twice during his own sojourn to try and find his birthplace. Freya had become a mercenary, but had been glad to meet her baby brother again. She had been less pleased to see that Puck, the Crown Prince of Burmecia, liked to roam abroad himself, though she conceded there were few people better qualified to protect him than Zidane.

Zidane Crescent-Tribal (Zidane Tribal being the name on the note left with him when he was left at the Crescents) sighed quietly. His big sister left Burmecia when Iron-Tail Fratley, a famous Dragon Knight and the man he loved disappeared while on a journey to train. While technically Freya was AWOL from the Burmecian Dragon Knights, the truth was that the King of Burmecia was sympathetic to her plight. Indeed, Freya and Fratley were seen as heroes, and so, were never marked as deserters. And Freya had left Burmecia shortly after the death of her parents… _their_ parents. Zidane was no Burmecian. He had a tail, but he didn't look like an anthropomorphic rat. But he _felt_ Burmecian. His parents had treated him like he was their son, even if he looked like a human with a tail. The King treated him as a Burmecian, as did many others. So he was Burmecian. Even if much of his job entailed babysitting Prince Puck while he wandered the Mist Continent.

Thinking of his sister reminded him of the letter in his waistcoat vest. Yes, he'd have to remember to give it to her once he saw her. It would break her heart, but it was something she needed to read.

He blinked when a trio of figures emerged through trapdoors on the stage, including a girl with a white robe with a red triangular pattern on the edges. He frowned. He had seen Tantalus' plays before, and he knew that their sole female member was Ruby. But this girl was shorter than Ruby, and he thought he could see dark hair beneath the hood of her robe. One of the men who had emerged on stage was a surprise, though: the stocky, armoured form of Adelbert Steiner, the Captain of the Pluto Knights, and Princess Garnet's royal bodyguard. And he looked as shocked to be on stage as Zidane was surprised to see him there.

Whoever the girl in the girl in the hooded robe was, she was a good actress. As she pretended to intercept Marcus' blade and sagged, Zidane heard Vivi sniffing gently in sorrow. He and Puck came across the boy after he had tried to get into the play, only to learn that the ticket (which doubtless cost a lot of Gil from whatever scalper he had bought it from) had been a fake. Puck and Zidane, who intended to sneak in, offered to help him (though Zidane told Puck not to call Vivi 'Slave Number One'). As they got ready to sneak in, Zidane learned from Vivi that he used to live near Treno, in the company of a Qu known as Quan. Quan had died recently, and Vivi had opted to travel to see the play.

Suddenly, there was a shout from nearby. "INTRUDERS!" Zidane whipped his head around, to see a pair of Pluto Knights charging at them. "WHERE'S THE PRINCESS?!" One of them demanded.

"Shit!" Zidane hissed, before grabbing his charges. The nearest escape route, ironically, was onto the stage of Tantalus' theatre-ship, the _Prima Vista_. They rushed on stage as the characters mourned the deaths of Cornelia and Marcus (the latter of whom had committed suicide for killing his lover).

As the Pluto Knights followed, Vivi yelled, "Don't come any closer!" He then thrust out his hands in desperation, and a ball of flame spat out. The Pluto Knight in the path dodged it, and the Fire spell hit the hood of the girl, who leapt up with a shriek of fright, and flung off the burning robe to reveal no less august a personage than Princess Garnet til Alexandros XVII.

Zidane gaped for a moment. It was often said that Garnet was the most beautiful princess Alexandria had ever known, and while he didn't know that for sure, she was certainly very beautiful. Shiny, lustrous black locks of hair framed a gentle face, her dark eyes currently wide in shock. Underneath the robe, she was dressed in orange coveralls and a white shirt. Zidane found it hard to believe that she was related to the rather corpulent Queen Brahne, who even now was staring down at the stage, her shock turning to anger.

"Cinna! Marcus! It's time!" the rotund, pig-nosed Baku, still dressed in his finery as King Leo, snapped. "We've gotta get the hell out of here!"

Cinna nodded, then turned to Garnet. "Princess, better buckle in, it's gonna be a rough ride!"

As the squat, hammer-wielding man retreated backstage, along with his boss, Steiner stared at them all, before demanding, "What is going on?!"

"Steiner!" Garnet said. "I order you not to follow me anymore!"

After a moment's dithering, Steiner scowled. "I'm afraid I cannot comply, Princess! This farce has gone on long enough! Pluto Knights, seize the bandits!"

As the Pluto Knights attacked Marcus, who held them off, Zidane remarked, "For a royal bodyguard, you don't take orders very well."

"Silence!" Steiner snapped. "Who are you to speak of such things? One of this crew?"

Zidane glared at the pompous knight. "I am Sir Zidane Crescent-Tribal of Burmecia, Captain Steiner."

Steiner gaped, and then looked at Puck, his eyes widening in recognition, before he stammered, "What…what are you and your charge doing here, then?"

"Watching a play." Suddenly, the Pluto Knights retreated, Marcus laughing, having scared them off. Then, the theatre-ship rocked, and began to rise. "It seems that we're going for a ride as well," Zidane observed dryly.

"Steiner, who is this?" Garnet asked.

"Sir Zidane Crescent-Tribal of Burmecia," Steiner said, torn between respect and annoyance. "The bodyguard of Prince Puck of Burmecia. A noted troublemaker and crude of speech, but also a fine warrior. It is said that those who rouse his ire find themselves despoiled of everything they own, save for their smallclothes."

"Hey, it was just a couple of times, okay! And those guys were arseholes," Zidane protested.

Steiner shook his head. "It matters not. Sir Zidane, I beseech you, please help me stop this crew!"

"Look, it seems like your princess wants to leave with these guys," Zidane pointed out. Suddenly, the concussive boom of cannons filled the air, and Zidane, his charges underarm, had to dive away as a massive harpoon smashed into the stage. Zidane looked back at Brahne, who looked furious, barking orders at her soldiers. "Is she insane?! She nearly hit her own daughter!"

"Her Majesty is panicking!" Steiner yelled. "She's not thinking clearly!"

Another cannon shot out a shell, that burst open to reveal a Bomb, a burning orb of orange and red with eyes and a fanged mouth. The living explosive leered, and then dived at the stage. Zidane threw Puck and Vivi behind some debris, before pulling Garnet and Steiner behind the same debris, yelling at Marcus " ** _DOWN!_** " Marcus dove for the wings as the Bomb hit the stage. A massive explosion rocked the _Prima Vista_.

As the shards of wood ceased raining down around them, Zidane, Steiner, Garnet, Vivi and Puck poked their heads up cautiously, coughing on the smoke. "…You call **_that_** a panicked reaction?" Zidane asked as the ship began swaying alarmingly. "She nearly killed us!"

"Fear and panic murders rational thought!" Steiner retorted. "I thank you for your assistance nonetheless."

"Don't thank me yet," Zidane said. The theatre-ship was shaking and swaying. Even as they hit the Mist just outside the plateau Alexandria was perched on, Zidane knew that the theatre-ship was about to crash. "Hold on tight!"

With a great banshee scream, the _Prima Vista_ began plummeting through the Mist, towards a forested area. Like dice hurled by a petulant giant, Zidane and the others were flung out by the swaying ship, smashed into unconsciousness. The last thing Zidane heard before everything went dark was an explosion from the _Prima Vista_ crashing…

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Hope you enjoyed this opening chapter. As with the game, Zidane has the skills of a thief. In fact, he often uses those skills to support himself and Puck while they're travelling. You'll also note that Steiner had heard of him, if only by reputation. Zidane is not as famed as, say, either Freya or Fratley, but he is known for humiliating his opponents, and while his face is not known, he does have a minor reputation. This means that Steiner will be less fractious towards Zidane. Part of the reason for that is that Steiner, in the game, viewed Zidane as nothing more than a thief. Here, in this story, Steiner already has some small respect for Zidane, as they have a similar job description, though he is appalled by Zidane's manners.**

 **By the way, the letter I mentioned? It's important, especially when Zidane and Freya reunite in Lindblum.**

 **There'll be a bit of a time-skip for the next chapter, which will be set after Evil Forest gets petrified.**

 **1\. In** ** _Amethyst and Garnet_** **, I stated this was my personal fanon, regarding** ** _I Want to Be Your Canary_** **. I think of it as an improvisation play, like** ** _Commedia del'arte_** **. You've got the characters, the basic story, and some key scenes you can use, but you improvise. Keep in mind that we see very different scenes throughout the two times the play is shown, and Brahne doesn't seem surprised when Cornelia takes the blade for her father, commenting that the play is splendid this year.**


	3. Chapter 2: Getting Acquainted

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **GETTING ACQUAINTED**

Zidane stared at the fire morosely. Behind them, the Evil Forest lay, now petrified. Blank, one of the members of Tantalus, had gotten caught during their escape after helping them free Garnet and Puck from the clutches of the Plant Brain that controlled the plant monsters of Evil Forest. Steiner seemed indifferent to the young man's fate, even satisfied, given that Blank had been part of Tantalus. But Zidane felt a strange kinship with the sarcastic young man who looked like he was a patchwork doll. He was the one who created the medicine that saved Vivi, Steiner, Garnet and Puck's lives.

After recovering from the crash-landing, Steiner and Zidane, who had ended up landing close together, searched for their charges, only to find Garnet and Puck trapped by a plant monster that caged them. Zidane had gone into Trance, but despite using Free Energy attacks to try and kill it, only succeeded in driving it off. Vivi was soon captured thereafter, but had managed to use his Fire spells to burn the creature into submission. The creature sprayed Vivi and Steiner with its spores, though, and Zidane was forced to drag them back to where the _Prima Vista_ had crashed.

Blank had given Vivi and Steiner medicine to remove the spores the plant creature had infected them with. Meanwhile, Zidane confronted the Tantalus boss, Baku, demanding to know why he had kidnapped Garnet. Baku had been less than forthcoming, and had also the temerity to say that he didn't intend to search for Garnet and Puck, as he had to help the wounded of his crew before they tried to venture forth into the Evil Forest. Baku said that Zidane was free to go search for them, and once Vivi and Steiner had recovered, Zidane had recruited them both.

Steiner was pleased that Zidane intended to search for the two royal heirs, and had agreed to help Zidane find them. It was he who suggested recruiting Vivi, because despite the Black Mage's young age, he was quite adept at spells. Blank gave them a vial of the medicine, for use with Garnet and Puck. He would later come to help them on Baku's orders while they confronted the Plant Brain. But killing that creature caused the Evil Forest to petrify, and Blank had gotten caught by some of the Plant Brain's minions wanting revenge.

They opted to camp just outside the Evil Forest while Garnet and Puck recovered. Steiner was reluctant to, considering the effects of the Mist, but conceded that Garnet and Puck needed to recover. As Zidane and Vivi stared at the fire, Steiner asked, "Sir Zidane…"

"Stop calling me 'sir'," Zidane snapped, a little irritably. "My knighthood is only because I'm Puck's bodyguard."

"…My apologies. Zidane, why did you and your charge, along with Master Vivi, sneak into the play like common ne'er-do-wells?" Steiner asked.

"Well, we didn't have enough money to see the play, and Puck and I prefer to go incognito rather than rely on the name of the Burmecian Royals to get our way. Puck really wanted to go, and I didn't want to piss anyone off too much by pinching their tickets," Zidane said. "I'd probably fit in with Tantalus, I'm pretty good at pickpocketing and lockpicking." Zidane enjoyed the mortified look on Steiner's face, before he continued. "Vivi bought a ticket in Treno, but it was a fake, made up by some nasty con-artist. We brought him in because he wanted to see the play. Actually, it wasn't just the play I wanted to see. I'd never seen Princess Garnet before, and I was hoping to catch a glimpse of her. I guess I saw more than that."

"Hmmph. Well, I cannot condone your breaking of the law. However, I thank you for your assistance," Steiner said. "I would expect nothing less from one with your duties."

Zidane nodded, before looking at the map thrown to him by Blank. Not that he needed the map of the Mist Continent: he knew where he was most of the time. "The base levels of the various Gates are closed, usually due to lack of maintenance due to the Mist," he said. "I have a Gate Pass, so we can pass through South Gate to Lindblum. But to get there, we have to go through the Ice Cavern nearby, which eventually goes above the Mist, and ends up near a village called Dali. South Gate's not far from there."

"But we need to get back to Alexandria!" Steiner protested.

"I know, but we don't have many options! It'll be hard to get back to Alexandria, but once we're in Lindblum, you can get an airship easily from there. Anyway, isn't Regent Cid on good terms with the Princess?"

"Yes, she views him as an uncle," Steiner conceded.

Zidane nodded, before saying, "Once we reach Dali, we'll stay there overnight. Then, once we're rested, we'll head for Lindblum."

"That is where I intended to go in any case," Garnet said, emerging from the tent, her hair a little dishevelled.

"Princess! You're awake!" Steiner yelped.

"Indeed. I thank you all for your help."

"It is my sworn duty to protect you at any cost," Steiner said. "Sir Zidane and Master Vivi went above and beyond the call of duty to save you, along with Prince Puck. If those brigands hadn't kidnapped you…"

"Steiner, I left the castle willingly," Garnet said. "I had no knowledge of their plans. I intended to conceal myself on the _Prima Vista_ and ask for passage to Lindblum, to speak with Uncle Cid. I am sorry I did not tell either you or Beatrix, but I have become concerned about my mother lately, as well as that Treno noble who visits frequently."

"Do you mean that peacock Kuja?" Steiner asked.

"Yes. I fear she may be planning something terrible, and I wanted to ask Uncle Cid to intercede on my behalf," Garnet admitted.

"That…might be a bit hard for him to do, face-to-face, I mean," Zidane said.

"What do you mean?" Garnet asked.

"Six months ago, Lady Hilda Garde caught Cid in bed with another woman," Zidane explained. "She turned him into an Oglop, and made off with the _Hilda Garde_ , a steam-powered airship named for her. The last I heard, she hasn't returned."

"How do you know this?" Steiner asked.

"Puck and I met Lady Hilda briefly as she was leaving," Zidane said, leaving out the little incriminating detail that he and Puck had snuck on board the prototype airship for kicks. He still had the photo, and pulled it out.

Garnet blinked as she looked at the photo, before saying, with a chuckle, "Even as an Oglop, he still has the moustache."

"Yeah. I think Cid's been secluded ever since. Only a few of his most trusted people know he was transformed, I'd bet. I haven't actually met the man, save for one occasion before that incident. We were asked to go to Lindblum as emissaries of Burmecia. That was boring as hell." That was actually the day before that incident, actually, Zidane reflected. Cid had shown them around the airship docks. That's when Puck got the bright idea of sneaking onto the ship. Not to actually steal it, but to have a look around after Cid didn't want them to board.

"Hmm," Steiner said. "Very well. Unless a more convenient way of returning to Alexandria presents itself, I will escort the Princess to Lindblum with your assistance. And to tell the truth, I too find myself disquieted by Kuja, as did General Beatrix. But I was not privy to the Queen's meetings with him. Your fears are in all likelihood unfounded, Princess, but if it will make you feel better, I will bring you to Lindblum."

"I thank you, Steiner. And you too, Zidane and Vivi. I will make sure to sing your praises to the King of Burmecia once I have time," Garnet said.

"That's fine," Zidane said. "We'll rest here overnight. That should be long enough for you and Puck to be ready for travel. And I've got to apologise in advance, but the food on this journey isn't going to be _haute cuisine_. I've got some biscuits, water, jerky, and a few others things. When we stop by in Dali, we'll have a decent meal there, but it's not going to be royal food or anything."

"I am fine with that," Garnet said. "Believe it or not, not all of my tastes are refined. And to tell the truth, the amount of food my mother would sometimes consume is more than a little damaging to my own appetite."

Zidane nodded, thinking back to the corpulent frame of Brahne. "Well, we'd better get going tomorrow. Big day ahead of us. Hopefully, nothing will go wrong…"

* * *

The next day, Zidane was cursing his words of the previous evening as he went back to fetch Steiner, Garnet, Vivi and Puck. They'd made it to the Ice Cavern with little trouble, even being given some supplies by a Moogle who had lived in the Evil Forest. But when they came close to the exit, a strange enchanted blizzard sent them all to sleep. Zidane woke up when he heard a noise like the ringing of a bell, and investigated, only to be confronted by a Black Mage like Vivi, only larger, monstrous, and with wings. It had summoned a creature called a Sealion, and only by going into Trance and using a Tidal Flame did Zidane prevail.

As he walked back to them, he remembered a voice yelling at him after he had stopped the Black Mage. " _Black Waltz Number 1 may have failed, but Number 2 and 3 will capture the princess!_ " He hadn't seen who had yelled that, and had gone back to the others. But it certainly meant that someone was trying to capture Garnet. Was that Black Waltz thing an agent of Brahne? Or perhaps it was someone else after the Princess who sent it.

Zidane could hazard a guess why. While they were walking through the Ice Cavern, Garnet had confessed to the others that she held Eidolons within her, powerful magical beings. She lacked the ability to summon them, though Zidane thought it was partly psychological rather than an actual inability.

"Zidane!" Puck yelled as he shook off the snow covering him. "What the heck happened?!"

"There was a monster causing the blizzard," Zidane said. "I killed it." After a moment's consideration, he said, "Captain Steiner, I need to talk to you in private for a moment."

Steiner looked puzzled, before shrugging, and following Zidane a little way ahead of them. After Zidane thought they were far enough away, he said quietly to Steiner, "What I fought was some sort of Black Mage, like Vivi, only bigger, stronger, and way nastier. After I defeated it, I heard a voice yell that it was Black Waltz Number 1, and that Number 2 and 3 would capture the princess. I didn't see who yelled."

"Was it sent by Alexandria?" Steiner asked.

"If it was, it didn't seem to have any compunction about killing anyone. We were all affected by that blizzard, remember? I don't know how I resisted it. Anyway, it could be another faction is interested in the princess."

"Mayhap it was those bandits in Tantalus," Steiner mused.

"I don't think it's them. They'd do something like a stealthy abduction, not this. Steiner, if what that voice yelled was true, we might have to face a couple more like it, and it was a damned strong enemy. I'm also worried that it may not be an abduction for ransom. I think someone might want Garnet for her Eidolons," Zidane said. "It's just a hunch, though."

"An appalling thought all the same," Steiner muttered. "I thank you for being frank with me, but why not tell the others?"

"You're Garnet's bodyguard. It's better that you know about this, in case they strike again. They mobilised pretty quickly after Garnet left Alexandria, so we might have to expect another attack soon. Keep an eye on Garnet. If need be, I will take over for you."

Steiner scowled. "Very well. We must get going. It may already be dusk, and we need to make it to Dali ere nightfall."

* * *

As they emerged from the Ice Cavern, they saw that Steiner's fears were unfounded. It was still mid-afternoon, and Dali lay ahead in the distance. "Princess, hold up a moment," Zidane said. When Garnet faced him, he said, "We'll have to think of an alias for you. People may be searching for you, including the wrong sort of people. Most of the names we have are fairly common, but Garnet would stick out like a sore thumb, especially with your description. If we use an assumed name, we'll minimise the risk of them finding us. Once we get to Lindblum, we won't need it anymore."

As Garnet thought about it, Steiner scowled. "Is that truly necessary? The Princess need not sneak around under an alias like a common brigand!"

"Steiner, if we go around advertising that Princess Garnet til Alexandros XVII is walking around with a minimal escort, how long will it be before someone tries to kidnap her? Better to keep schtum about it," Zidane said. "It's how I kept Puck safe. I rarely used an alias with him, as Puck's a pretty common name in Burmecia, but that's because we tried to keep things quiet." _And didn't always succeed_ , he thought to himself, though he didn't mention it to Steiner.

"…Sarah."

Zidane and Steiner looked over at Garnet. "Sorry?" Zidane asked.

"…I've liked the name 'Sarah' for some reason. I thought, should I ever have a daughter, I would have chosen either Sarah or Cornelia(1)," Garnet said.

"Well, I'm not complaining. It's a good name, good for a girl, and pretty common too. You sure about it?"

Garnet nodded. "From now on, until we reach Lindblum, my name is Sarah. Steiner, please remember that."

"…I will endeavour to try." Steiner looked far from happy.

"There's another thing," Zidane said. "If we're trying to be inconspicuous, you two will have to speak a bit more casually. I know, I know, all those years of elocution lessons going to waste. There's basic manners, and then there's elocution. You don't have to leave the former to get rid of the latter. Just talk like me, or Puck, or Vivi."

Zidane nearly laughed at the indignant expression on Steiner's face. Garnet…no, Sarah smiled. "I will try…no…umm, you've got it?"

"Well, you're trying," Zidane said with an encouraging smile. "Okay, let's go. We'll practise on the way. Once we're done at Dali, we'll head to Lindblum." _And hope there's no more nasty surprises along the way_ , Zidane thought to himself.

Sadly, fate seemed to have it in for him. For there were plenty more in store…

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **We'll start to elaborate a bit more on Zidane's childhood in Burmecia in later chapters, with the next chapter dealing with the events in Dali. We'll timeskip to the factory, after Vivi has been abducted.**

 **1\. Remember, Sarah is Garnet's real name, as revealed on the Eidolon Wall in one of the game's Easter eggs…**


	4. Chapter 3: Golem Soldiers

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **GOLEM SOLDIERS**

Princess Garnet wasn't sure what to make of Zidane. On the one hand, he was a royal bodyguard, and he seemed capable of talking to Steiner on a level the Captain of the Pluto Knights understood. Steiner still seemed reluctant to go to Lindblum, but Zidane's arguments were sound. On the other, he spoke rather casually, even crudely, at times, as did his charge, Prince Puck. He was rather like those people in Tantalus, and Zidane had cheerfully admitted he preferred their sort of company to some of the echelons of society he had to deal with. He spoke highly of the King of Burmecia and his (adoptive) parents, along with his sister, Lady Freya Crescent, and Sir 'Iron-Tail' Fratley.

She had to admit, though, his cheerful demeanour and sardonic attitude towards the nobility was refreshing. He _intrigued_ her. As far as royal bodyguards were concerned, Steiner and Beatrix were both very old-fashioned, though Beatrix was at least easier to talk to. An irony, considering the reputation she had abroad of a cold, relentless warrior. Zidane, despite his reputation as a man who loved to humiliate his enemies (she had heard Steiner and Beatrix speak a little of him before), was surprisingly approachable.

That being said, it didn't stop his eyes from roving along her body appreciatively. Garnet had heard the hyperbole that she was the most beautiful princess in Alexandria's history. Zidane clearly agreed, given his demeanour, though he didn't do more than look. And smile. Then again, it could have been worse. And to be fair to him, he was probably the first boy her age that she had known for very long. Virtually all the nobles and dignitaries she had met properly were adults.

After exploring Dali (and learning not only a new way of speaking, something her elocution tutors would have an apoplectic fit if they knew, but also things like the fact that Oglops ate crop vegetables and were considered a pest…and hated by many), she had returned to the inn on Zidane's advice. Zidane returned not long afterwards, along with Puck, though Vivi and Steiner were yet to return.

Puck was rather crude and rude, and somewhat antisocial. As he sat on a bed, reading one of the few readable books in the inn's library (a complete works of Lord Avon, most of the other books being 'get rich quick' books), Zidane, on her request, began talking to her about his life.

"…and, well, if I ever saw my sister again," Zidane concluded, patting his waistcoat, "I've got to give her this letter. Even got a waterproof bag for it."

"A sad story," Garnet remarked sincerely. "But I must confess, I'm worried about Vivi. I know that Steiner can look after himself, but Vivi…I would have thought that he would return by now."

Zidane scratched his chin pensively. "You've got a point. You're right, Steiner can look after himself. But Vivi…well, he can handle himself in a fight pretty well, as can you, Sarah, but, well…" He shook his head. "Let's go have a look for him. He was standing by the windmill, last time I saw him."

* * *

Soon, she was standing with Zidane and Puck near the village windmill, but they heard, faintly, the sound of someone crying, along with the squawk of a Chocobo. Puck found the source, some sort of ventilation pipe. "Vivi?" Puck called into the pipe.

"…Puck? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Zidane and Sarah are here as well," Puck said.

Zidane knelt down next to the pipe. "Vivi, are you hurt? Can you move? Where are you?"

"Down beneath this village. They…told me to stay here. I'm not hurt or anything."

"Okay, we're going to find you," Zidane said. "Just hold on."

"It seemed like a quiet village," Garnet murmured.

Zidane nodded. "There'll be ways to get underground."

* * *

They soon found their way underground via a surprisingly conspicuous hatch in the windmill. Making their way through the underground passages, they found themselves near an enclosure with a Chocobo waddling around morosely. In a nearby hut, they could hear people talking. Garnet's attention, however, was on a large barrel with a very familiar insignia, an eight-pointed star on a green background.

"Why is this one moving? Looks kinda different from the others," someone said. "Is it true that the mayor's brother found it?"

"Hal the innkeeper? Yeah. He offered the info as an olive branch to his brother. I guess that means they've reconciled."

"He was on the old woman's side before about abandoning the farm, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, but they were blueing. We need more workers here anyway. We'd better put this one in one of the delivery crates, the guys at the castle can deal with it."

"Yeah, production's our problem, not when one of them get loose." A pair of men came out, escorting Vivi. But as Zidane tensed, about to leap out, Garnet put her hand over his mouth.

"Quiet, Zidane," Garnet hissed quietly. "I need to tell you something." Once Vivi and his escort moved away, she said quietly, "I have seen these barrels before at Alexandria Castle. This place, whatever it is, is supplying something to the castle. I need to know what that is first, so I believe we need to remain hidden. Please, avoid starting trouble."

Zidane scowled, but nodded. "Okay, but if I have an opportunity to help Vivi, I'm taking it, trouble or not."

"Sure," Garnet said.

They made their way further through the complex, and came across a room that seemed to have some massive machine processing Mist. Then, Garnet heard sobbing from a nearby crate. "Zidane, Puck! Help me!" she said.

As they opened it, Vivi looked at them. "Zidane! Sarah! Puck!"

"Hey, Vivi! Why the hell would they stuff you into a box?" Zidane asked as he fished the young Black Mage out of the crate.

"I…I don't know," Vivi admitted. "After you left me near the windmill, a bunch of guys kidnapped me. They told me to stay put, and I was so scared, I didn't know what to do but obey. They asked me things like 'Why were you outside?', and then said something about a cargo ship not being here yet. I didn't know what they were talking about, so I didn't say anything. Eventually, they decided to put me in with today's shipment, whatever that was."

"I'm glad you're safe, Vivi," Zidane said. "But next time, try and do something. Try screaming…I dunno, 'GET OFF ME, YOU SCUMBAG!', or 'CHILD MOLESTER!' You don't know how many times that one saved Puck. It'd surprise your attackers, give you a chance to run, or fight back if need be."

Garnet frowned. She was not wholly ignorant of the dangers and depravities of the world, so she understood what he meant. A bit of an unorthodox tactic, but possibly sound. Puck was chuckling at some memory or other.

"Now, Vivi, Sarah wants to check out what's ahead, and so do I. I know you may not want to go further, but…"

"It's okay. I want to know too," Vivi said.

Puck, who had wandered off, was peering at the device. "Zidane, ain't this a Mist Engine? Y'know, like in airships?"

Zidane shook his head. "It uses Mist, but it's no Mist Engine I've ever seen." He went over to a nearby door, where pipes from the machine Puck was looking at snaked through. Zidane opened the door and peeked through. "There's some sort of Mist extraction and concentration device in here, sucking it from an opening below the level of the Mist."

"Are these eggs emerging from this machine?" Garnet asked, watching as something round came out on some sort of conveyer belt.

Zidane came over, shutting the door. He peered at the device and its products. "I guess. The real question is, what the hell do they hatch into?"

* * *

They soon got their answer. A little further down, the quartet of intruders had found a horrifying secret. The eggs were hatched into…well, Black Mages, hoisted along a conveyor into a machine that boxed them. Like adult versions of Vivi.

While Vivi was horrified, Garnet was musing about why her mother would create this. Puck was just gaping. And Zidane?

He had been thinking.

 _Why would Alexandria Castle need these guys? It's a bit weird to manufacture mere dolls, which is what they look like. They must be able to become active, that's why the Dali villagers were confused about Vivi. They must be some sort of golem. And if they were, like Vivi, capable of Black Magic, I've got the feeling they're going to be used for more than just household servants. That Black Waltz thing was probably created here. I'd bet any money Brahne's making an army. Last time I spoke to the King, he was uneasy about missives he had received from Brahne, missives that seemed to have thinly-veiled threats, unreasonable trade requests…it's as if she wants to start a war_ …

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone approaching. He was forced to take Garnet, Vivi, and Puck, and dive into the heart of the boxing machine, only for them to soon get boxed up. The crates were put into a barrel, and as the barrel was prepared to be loaded into a cargo airship, Zidane overheard a couple of workers remarking that it was easier money than farming. He had seen the farm for Dali, and noted that it was much smaller than it should be. Then, he heard frightened yelps, and cries that a 'scary guy in armour' was approaching. They ran, and soon, the distinctive loud clanking of Steiner's armour approached. Zidane began squirming out of his crate, with difficulty, and as Steiner examined the barrel, Zidane managed to free himself, though not without causing the barrel to rock, to Steiner's astonishment.

"Steiner!" Zidane yelled, as he began punching at the lid of the barrel. He managed to open it, and poked his head out, looking at the astonished Pluto Knight.

"Zidane! Where are the others? Where is the Prin…Sarah?" Steiner asked.

"In here. Come on, help me," Zidane said, before he got out of the barrel, and, with Steiner's help, tipped it onto its side. They extracted the crates with Garnet, Vivi and Puck (Vivi and Puck sharing a crate), and once they were out, Zidane looked at Garnet and the others. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah," Vivi nodded, though his tone was rather morose.

"I am sorry, Vivi. I never knew anything of that kind of thing was happening at the castle," Garnet said.

"What do you mean?" Steiner demanded.

Zidane gestured him over, and opened one of the other crates. As Steiner gaped at the inert Black Mage within, Zidane said, "I think they're golems of some kind. And Sarah has seen this barrel's insignia at the castle."

Steiner looked up at the cargo ship nearby. "I have seen this cargo ship at the castle before, but…"

"Guys!" Puck yelped. "Something's coming this way!"

And so it was. Yet another Black Waltz, Zidane guessed. It had the wings and the sinister appearance. As it approached, it vanished and reappeared multiple times with an eerie noise. When it finally stopped its little vanishing trick, it said, in a rasping voice, "Princess…the Queen is awaiting your presence."

"So you were sent by Brahne," Zidane muttered.

"And you must be the one that killed Black Waltz Number 1," the Black Waltz said. "He was the weakest of us. My speed, strength, and magic power are far superior to that crookbacked piece of carrion! Princess, come!"

"I am not returning to the castle!" Garnet snapped.

"Willingly or not, you will come with me. Your companions are surplus to requirements!"

"I will escort her back to the castle!" Steiner snapped. "I am her bodyguard! And you have threatened the life of Prince Puck of Burmecia, an ally of Alexandria."

"Kee hee hee! I don't care. Those rats will soon be exterminated! What's one more to begin with?"

"You've just signed your death warrant," Zidane snarled. "Those who threaten my charge's life must die."

"By all means, try! I, Black Waltz Number 2, won't let you stand in the way of my mission!"

* * *

The battle had been long and arduous. Zidane had a hard time beating the first Black Waltz, but this second was on a whole new level, and it was just as well he had the others to help. Puck mixed up various concoctions to throw at the Black Waltz(1). Vivi tried using Black Magic at first, but the Black Waltz merely used higher-tier spells in retaliation, so Vivi stuck to helping Steiner enchant his sword with magic. Garnet healed them well, performing well under pressure. Steiner and Zidane, between the two of them, managed to fell the Black Waltz.

Garnet looked at the inert body of the Black Waltz, along with Steiner. "…Did my mother truly send this creature after us?"

"Misdirection, it must be!" Steiner snapped. "This abomination said that to mislead you! I am sure that Her Majesty would have faith in my abilities to keep you safe. And I am sure she would certainly not threaten the peace between Alexandria and Burmecia! Unless…she thought Zidane and Puck counted amongst your abductors."

"She'd better not," Zidane growled.

"In any case, I suspect that this Black Waltz is from some other party. Mayhap that Treno peacock, Kuja," Steiner said.

"Who's this Kuja guy, anyway?" Puck asked.

"A noble associated with the King family," Steiner said. "Of late, he seems to be ingratiating himself with Her Majesty. I have little to do with him, but something about his manner rubs me the wrong way. I have heard whispers that he is a supplier of materiel."

"Materiel?" Puck asked.

"That's materiel with an 'e', right?" Zidane asked. On Steiner's nod, he said, "Steiner means military supplies. Weapons, rations, armour, that sort of thing. But why would Kuja want Sarah?"

"To hold to ransom…or like you suggested, Zidane. He may want her Eidolons." Steiner shook his head. "Come, we have little time to waste. We can commandeer that cargo ship."

"To go to Lindblum?"

After a moment, Steiner nodded. "I'll go and speak to the pilot."

As Steiner strode off, Puck muttered, "Why have I got the feeling he's going to get it to go to Alexandria instead?"

"It's probably going there anyway," Zidane said. "We'll have to commandeer it if we're to get to Lindblum. We'll have to get on before long."

Garnet looked rather pensive, as did Vivi. The Black Mage spoke up. "…Zidane? Those dolls they were making…underground…did they look like me?"

"They resembled you, Vivi, but I think they were golems, not dolls. They wouldn't be alive in the way you are," Zidane said. "Don't worry about it." Suddenly, the propellers of the airship began spinning, and Zidane yelped, "Shit! It's moving! Steiner must be dealing with a clockwork pilot. Come on, get on board, go, go, go!"

Vivi and Puck needed little persuasion to scramble up the ladder at the rear of the ship. Garnet seemed a bit more reluctant. "Sarah, come on. Trust me, we'll head to Lindblum!"

As Garnet seemed to be torn, Zidane gently took her by the shoulders and escorted her to the ladder. Part of him was thinking, _I'm touching her, I'm touching Princess Garnet til Alexandros XVII, and by the gods, she is_ _ **hot!**_ He tried to quiet that voice, but to little avail.

Garnet shook him away, before saying, "I can climb, you know."

Zidane, realising that the cargo ship was about to take off, began climbing up right after her, getting a rather good view of her derriere, clad in that rather tight orange coveralls of hers. He got more than a view when the cargo ship jolted, and her derriere met his face briefly.

With a startled shriek, she clambered up, while Zidane, his face as red as her own, clambered up after her, the cargo ship taking off as he did so. One thought went through his head as he did so. A thought that, if he spoke out loud, she would get even more angry and embarrassed.

 _Ooo,_ _ **soft**_ …

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Okay, so I lied (or at least spoke too soon) when I said I would do a timeskip to the Dali factory stuff. I wanted to do some stuff from Garnet's point of view, as well as lay some groundwork for the Zidane/Garnet shipping. Also, I wanted to show that, while this Zidane's a bit more serious and a touch more respectful, he still has his lecherous tendencies. He's just better at hiding them.**

 **You'll also note that Steiner is acting, if not intelligently, then less stupid than he is in the game. Steiner does show, at times, that he has some intelligence (when in Dali, he muses that pubs are prime sources of information). I think because Zidane's far less antagonistic towards him, and is closer to his station, Steiner accepts things a bit more. He's still unwilling to countenance Brahne doing anything wrong, but he's willing to accept that someone is willing to cause war between Burmecia and Alexandria, and using the queen's name to do so as misdirection. I had him put the blame on Kuja partly because we hear and see so little of him until the end of the first disc, beyond a brief mention from Garnet while talking to Cid. But I would like to believe that Steiner knew something of Kuja. So, in a way, Steiner is right, but for the wrong reasons.**

 **Review-answering time! I'm astonished at how quickly I got them. Anyway, first,** **UnknownUnseenUnheard** **: Zidane's relationship with Steiner is one of, if not quite equals, then of the same station, being royal bodyguards. They respect each other's ability and loyalty to their charges, but not their attitudes. Steiner thinks Zidane too uncouth and casual, while Zidane considers Steiner too blinkered and anal retentive. Zidane keeps his trolling to the 'banter' level. As for Burmecia, well, they may not get taken by surprise, but it will still be a curbstomping. Finally, regarding Steiner's attitude to Blank's petrification, he considers Blank and Tantalus responsible for endangering his charge. Look at it from his point of view. It doesn't make what he feels right, but it explains it.**

 **Reishin Amara** **: Yeah,** ** _no_** **. Besides, Eiko actually stated that the survivors suffered afterwards, suggesting that the** ** _Invincible_** **caused some sort of illness that killed them. Her parents and grandfather were away from the village at the time, if I recall correctly, and only arrived back some time afterwards, so your idea, intriguing though it is, probably wouldn't work.**

 **jgkitarel** **: Thanks. I thought of that theory long before I came to write A Third Summoner, when I first espoused it. And you're probably right. I remember reading, for example, about scenes in** ** _Macbeth_** **involving Hecate that were added by a later author, possibly Thomas Middleton.**

 **1\. I wondered whether Puck should participate in battle, so I decided that he was an Alchemist, a bit like Rikku's Overdrive in** ** _Final Fantasy X_** **. He doesn't actually fight per se, just stands at the edge of battle and throws stuff.**


	5. Chapter 4: The Last Waltz

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **THE LAST WALTZ**

Wars had been started for less than touching a princess' buttocks, Zidane knew. During his etiquette classes, he had this impressed upon him time and time again. For example, the most recent war between Burmecia and Alexandria, about 30 years ago, had been started because Brahne, then a young princess herself, had playfully yanked the tail of King Puck IV (the rather ill-tempered father of the current King)(1).

So when he got on board, he apologised. Garnet was as embarrassed as he was, but decided not to make a fuss of it, so the quartet entered the cargo ship with little delay, only to find something even more shocking than an accidental contact between royal derriere and face.

Black Mages were walking around, tending to the engines. Vivi went to try and get their attention, but they ignored him. "It seems that you were right, Zidane," Garnet murmured. "They're some sort of golem."

Vivi came back, looking despondent. "I tried…but…it's like they don't even know I exist."

"Vivi, they're golems. Barely aware. They're not like you. Look, we'd better get up topside, see what happened. And if we can turn this ship around."

They clambered up a ladder, to find Steiner with his face in his hands on the deck. "How could this happen? What am I to do, going back to the castle without my charge? I can't believe they wouldn't listen to me, and took off without the Princess. What am I going to say to Queen Brahne?"

"You mean Regent Cid, right?" Zidane said as he emerged from the hatch, Vivi, Puck and Garnet (taking up the rear this time to avoid any sudden unexpected contact with her rear) following.

Steiner whirled, to find them present. "Princess! Oh, thank goodness!"

"Steiner, we're going to turn the ship around," Garnet said. "We're taking this to Lindblum."

"Even when we can return to Alexandria with no more delay?" Steiner demanded as Zidane snuck towards the cabin.

"I need to warn Uncle Cid about my mother…and about Kuja," Garnet said. "We are commandeering this cargo ship, Steiner, and heading to Lindblum."

Suddenly, the ship rocked, as Zidane turned it around and began sending it towards South Gate. The Black Mage who had been steering watched on bemused (if it was capable of bemusement, anyway) while Zidane adjusted the steering wheel, whistling a cheerful tune. Steiner stormed to the cabin, and yelled, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Fulfilling one of my childhood dreams. I've always wanted to be an airship pilot," Zidane said with a facile smirk. But it soon fell. "We'll need to be careful going through South Gate. Security's been lax for the time being, but they may have tightened things up recently. If they have us stop there, let me do the talking. I have a Gate Pass. Technically, it's not for airships, but it has been used for that before."

An incoherent noise of anger emerged from Steiner, until he noticed the various Black Mages surrounding them. "That's odd, they haven't reacted to anything before," Zidane murmured.

But then, the Black Mages headed towards the bow, towards…no, past Garnet and Vivi and Puck. Suddenly, something swooped out of the sky, landing on the bow. A Thunder spell was barely dodged by the three of them.

Zidane glared at the creature. It had to be yet another Black Waltz. It stood tall and imperious, wielding an elaborate staff. "So, Number 2 was defeated by such a small, pathetic whelp. You're no match against me!" It laughed sneeringly. "Princess, stay here while I eliminate this brat!"

As Garnet dragged Vivi and Puck away, the Black Mages put themselves between the Black Waltz and the others. The Black Waltz seemed as confused as Zidane and the others were. "…Are you protecting him? Impossible! You are mindless golems with no will of your own! Move aside, or I will wipe you from existence!"

As one, the Black Mages confronting the Black Waltz began casting spells. Just as Garnet dragged Vivi and Puck into the cabin, the Black Waltz unleashed Thundara spells at the massed Black Mages, sending them flying, the bolts of lightning setting them on fire. Many were flung over the side of the cargo ship, sent plummeting to their deaths. Others slammed to the floor, convulsing and juddering terminally.

In his fury, the Black Waltz sent spells at the barrels of the Black Mages, sending them plummeting to their deaths to Vivi's horror, and that of everyone else. _Maybe they weren't so mindless after all_ , Zidane mused. _Maybe they just gave their lives to try and protect Vivi_.

"…What cruelty," murmured Steiner, before he roared at the creature, "How dare you attack your own allies!"

"Imbecile! Do I look like some lowly Black Mage golem?"

"It was reprehensible all the same!" Steiner yelled.

"So what? They were expendable. Even as I speak, more are being produced, more useful than you, Adelbert Steiner!"

With a scream of fury, Vivi rushed out, his body glowing and flaring with the energies of Trance. As he began sending spells at the Black Waltz, Steiner dashed out, declaring he would assist Vivi. Zidane looked at Garnet and Puck. "Sarah, I'm going to help them. Steer the ship. It's getting pretty dangerous, so if you want to turn back to Alexandria, go ahead. But whether you decide to head for South Gate or Alexandria, please don't crash the bloody ship!"

Garnet nodded, and as Zidane dashed out, she yelled, "Be careful, Zidane!"

"Kick his arse!" Puck concurred.

As the Black Waltz dodged spells from Vivi and sword slashes from Steiner, it sneered. "The princess' would-be bodyguards have gathered. How convenient. I will eliminate all who stand in my way!"

* * *

As with the previous battles against the Black Waltzes, this one was hard, not helped by Black Waltz Number 3's tendency to take to the skies to avoid Zidane and Steiner's attacks. But Vivi, still fuelled by Trance, his body glowing with unearthly light, managed to hit him. But the time came when a particularly strong Fire spell from Vivi sent the Black Waltz crashing to the deck, whereupon Zidane and Steiner struck simultaneously, stabbing the creature through the torso.

It flung them back with a blast of electricity. "SCUM!" it screamed. "I EXIST ONLY TO KILL!" It flew off.

"Damned coward!" Steiner snarled. "I hope that is the last of these Black Waltzes, like you think. This is getting ludicrous!"

"I think it is. A waltz is a three-beat dance. Ra-cha-cha. If it isn't, we're in big trouble. We're in big enough trouble as it is," Zidane remarked. He saw Vivi, the light of Trance no longer surrounding him, staring at a pointed hat which had stuck on the railing of the ship. He then looked where they were going. "That damned thing left to lick its wounds, and maybe come back to retaliate. And we'll be vulnerable heading through South Gate. We may need to gun it. Hang on, there's some binoculars in the cabin, I'll see if I can see where it's going."

He did so, and peered at where the Black Waltz was heading, towards a small, sleek and slender kind of airship sometimes nicknamed the 'speedboat'. Fast and manoeuvrable. A pair of jesters seemed to be manning it. He remembered something about Alexandria. "Steiner…do you know a pair of jesters, short, one dressed in red, the other in blue?"

"Let me see," Steiner said, taking the binoculars himself. "It's Zorn and Thorn! Either they're searching for the princess, or…they're in league with Kuja! They've just leapt from their speedboat! The Black Waltz has commandeered it! It's heading this way!"

"We can't outmanoeuvre it on this cargo ship. We'll have to gun it," Zidane said, "and hope that we can squeeze through South Gate before it shuts, but it can't." The two dashed into the cabin, with Zidane looking at the engine gauges. "It's old, but it's got power."

"Zidane, this power lever's stiff!" Puck yelled.

"I shall deal with that!" Steiner declared, grabbing the lever and grunting as he wrenched it to full power.

But even as the engines roared with more power, the Black Waltz roared by on his commandeered speedboat. Vivi, who had been staring at the hat of one of his brethren in a morose daze, was snapped out of it as the Black Waltz prepared a Thundara spell. With a scream of anger, Vivi sent a massive Fire spell at the speedboat, sending it spinning away. Vivi collapsed, and Zidane, with a curse, went out onto the deck, looking back at the Black Waltz as he did so. Sadly, the speedboat hadn't been terminally damaged, and recovered, pursuing them again.

As Zidane began to drag Vivi to the cabin, he noted that South Gate's main gate was closing. The cargo ship just clipped the side, sending Zidane and Vivi flying. Zidane got one hand on the railing (with his tail helping to secure himself there), and the other grasping onto Vivi, who was awake again, and screaming in fright. Especially as the Black Waltz in his stolen speedboat approached.

"I EXIST ONLY TO KILL! I EXIST ONLY TO KILL! I EXIST ONLY TO KILL!" the maddened mage chanted, preparing another Thundara spell. However, Zidane, Vivi, and the Black Waltz got a lesson in why one should have the utmost control in preparing said spells. A stray bolt of lightning tore into the engine and structure of the speedboat.

The Black Waltz realised what was happening, turning back to find its engine a burning ruin. It then turned back to Zidane. Although the only visible features of its face were glowing red eyes within an eldritch darkness, it nonetheless had a marvellous expression on its face: to whit, the expression of a person who knows they are utterly screwed.

Zidane called it the 'Oh, shit' face.

Just as the cargo ship burst through the other massive stone gate, which was closing, the speedboat went out of control and exploded, hitting the gate's mechanisms. Flame and smoke followed the cargo ship as it emerged.

With an effort, Zidane pulled Vivi over the railing, before getting over it himself. The engine didn't sound healthy, and he looked at the diagnostic dials. "I think we overdid it," he murmured. "We made it, at least. I guess that's something."

"It's the only consolation to be had," Steiner scowled. "South Gate damaged, along with this ship, the cargo lost…I cannot believe I played a role in this debacle!"

"…It's my fault South Gate got damaged, isn't it?" Garnet asked.

"No, it isn't!" Puck retorted. "It was that bloody Black Waltz thing! Anyway, Regent Cid's got good mechanics and artisans and crap! He'll have it fixed in no time!"

Garnet nodded, though she seemed far from convinced. "Thank you, everyone, for your help and kind words. I didn't mean to get any of you involved. At least now we're near Lindblum, I can finally get something done. We're approaching the main gate."

"That's Lindblum Castle?" Steiner asked. "It is truly massive!"

"The city lies within the castle walls," Garnet said. "And the high castle is where the Regent sits."

"…Zidane," Vivi asked, in a small, lost voice. "Those…Black Mages…are we the same?"

Steiner frowned. "I don't understand, Master Vivi. What seems to be the problem?"

"…It's because he hasn't met anyone else of his kind before," Zidane mused. "And to see that factory beneath Dali…"

"Master Vivi, why would they be the same as you?" Steiner asked. "And why would it matter if they were?"

"Steiner's right!" Puck said. "You're an individual, Vivi, no matter what!"

"You said it, Puck," Zidane said with a grin. "C'mon, Vivi, you've gotta see this. Lindblum from above is fantastic. I've only seen it once, and I don't think you've ever seen anything like it…"

* * *

Soon, Garnet flew the cargo ship into the main airship bay of Lindblum Castle. They soon disembarked, and found some guards waiting for them. "That's a really old airship," one of them remarked, apparently the leader.

"Greetings," Garnet said with a bow. "I am Princess Garnet til Alexandros. The Burmecian is Prince Puck. We humbly request an audience with Regent Cid."

The leader scoffed. "You're kidding me, right? The Princess of Alexandria would have to be pretty desperate to travel on a shabby airship like that, never mind in such company!"

"The Princess was forced to come under dire circumstances!" Steiner yelped. "I am her bodyguard, Captain Adelbert Steiner, and the boy with the tail is Sir Zidane Crescent-Tribal of Burmecia!"

"And I'm Lord Avon," retorted the guard. "I need to see proof."

Garnet proffered her pendant, and the guard frowned. "This looks like the Falcon Claw…but the shape…" He turned to the other two. "You two, fetch the Minister!"

As the two guards scurried off, Steiner scowled. "The perils of going 'incognito'," he muttered. "If you looked less like vagabonds, you and your charge…"

"Captain, when was the last time you polished your armour? There's quite a bit of rust there," Zidane retorted. "You'd think the Captain of the Pluto Knights could afford to clean it, or buy replacement armour."

"I have had to deal with budget cuts!" Steiner snapped. "I would sooner sacrifice my armour before that of my men!"

"What is going on?" asked a man with a thick beard and eyebrows, carrying a book under his arm.

"Ah, Minister Artania," the guard captain said, saluting. "We have unknown visitors wishing to see the Regent. One of them claims to be Princess Garnet of Alexandria, the other, Prince Puck of Burmecia. The one claiming to be Garnet is carrying a jewel resembling the Falcon Claw."

Artania nodded. "You're dismissed. I will handle this." As the guard scurried away, Artania smiled. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Princess."

"Uncle Artania!" Garnet said, with a broad smile.

"And the same for you two, Prince Puck and Sir Zidane," Artania said.

"The Regent's forgiven us for that whole _Hilda Garde_ business?" Zidane asked.

"He thought that the lessons you were made to undergo sufficient punishment. Besides, he thought it good that you pointed out holes in his security, holes which have now been filled," Artania said. "In any case, it was Lady Hilda who stole the _Hilda Garde_ , not you."

"What's this about?" Steiner asked suspiciously.

"Long story," Zidane said.

Puck shuddered. " _Very_ long story," he muttered, thinking back to his etiquette lessons…

* * *

They were led to the throne room. Thanks to Zidane sharing the story of his transfiguration, Steiner and Garnet weren't surprised to see an Oglop with a large crescent-shaped moustache on the throne.

"Greetings," Cid said. "Well met, _gwok!_ I am Cid Fabool IX, Regent of Lindblum, though I daresay there are only a few who need to know that. I'm delighted to see you again, Princess Garnet. You have truly become a fine lady, _gwok!_ " His eyes roved over to Zidane and Puck. "And Prince Puck and Sir Zidane…keeping out of mischief, _gwok?_ "

"Trying…and failing miserably, Regent Cid," Zidane said with a smile. "I told them…about what Lady Hilda did to you. So they wouldn't be surprised."

"I suppose I am grateful, _gwok!_ " Cid said. "Actually, I have received word that your sister, Lady Freya Crescent, is in the city. She's staying in an inn in the Industrial District."

"Hey, that's great! I'll go and see her later," Zidane said, before his face fell. "But we bring tidings."

"Indeed we do. Disturbing tidings," Garnet said. "Uncle Cid, I appreciate you seeing me on such short notice. I wish to speak to you urgently about my mother."

"I thought as such. But I am sure it can wait until tomorrow," Cid said. "It seems like you have had a long day, _gwok_. Rest, and then we'll discuss what happened."

"It's almost time for lunch," Artania said. "Please, follow me."

"Yeah! Lunch in a palace! Inn food and travelling food was gettin' old," Puck cheered as he dashed after Artania.

Meanwhile, Zidane looked thoughtful. He needed to see Freya before long, and deliver a letter that he was dreading her getting.

A letter from Sir 'Iron-Tail' Fratley…

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will be mostly around Zidane and Freya's reunion, as well as a bit more about their past.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Reishin Amara** **: …** ** _What_** **are you smoking? I've never really considered a female Kuja story, and I don't know what that had to do with my answer to your previous review.**

 **Jman7** **: …Have you ever PLAYED the game? Steiner's skill level in Not Taking a Hint is ludicrously high (to make a reference to the brilliant webcomic** ** _Darths and Droids_** **). He cannot believe Brahne can do any wrong until Beatrix all but hits him in the face with it, and Brahne rejects her daughter in front of him. Here, at least Steiner can believe that someone is using the Queen's name to cause war, which is a step in the right direction if nothing else. As for Garnet, I'm considering changing that bit, though I need to think of a logical reason why Zidane would willingly allow Garnet to follow him to Burmecia. Remember, in the game, he points out, with good reason, that she isn't aware of the dangers involved in war. The next chapter, though, will concentrate more on Freya and Zidane's sibling relationship.**

 **1\. The war between Burmecia and Alexandria actually did happen in the history of the game (and they were stopped by Lindblum using the first airships), though the cause of it was something I made up. I'm guessing Prince Puck's grandfather died during the war.**


	6. Chapter 5: Brother and Sister

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **BROTHER AND SISTER**

Freya Crescent nursed the tankard of lager in the Doom Pub in Lindblum's Industrial District. Her elegant, rat-like features, framed by white hair, contemplated some of the marks in the bar before her. Each mark had a story to tell, from being caused by accidents with tankards and the like, to being the product of brawls. The Doom Pub didn't suffer brawls often, but when they did happen, they were big ones.

As she sipped from her tankard, she wondered where her brother was. Her little brother, always getting into trouble. The last time she had seen him, it was shortly before he was recalled home to act as an emissary to Lindblum with Puck, about seven months ago or so. They had been helping some Qu, Quina Quen, catch frogs, in the nearby Qu's Marsh. Rumour had it that they both got into trouble in Lindblum shortly afterwards.

She was only young when Zidane came into her life, but she remembered it surprisingly clearly. She was six years old. They had just visited Gizamaluke's Grotto for a service, when they stumbled across a baby in a basket. A cliché, yes, but the baby was left just near the exit for Gizamaluke's Grotto. People claimed that they saw a red eye poking through the clouds, and that the child appeared in a strange blizzard of what looked like alien letters and numbers, picked out in cyan. Many had shunned him because they thought it a sign that the child was cursed, even diabolical. And in any case, it was a human child (albeit one with a feline or simian tail), not a Burmecian.

The Crescents, however, opted to take him home, and Freya remembered feeling excited that she was going to get a baby brother, no matter how odd he looked. And from there, well, they were inseparable.

While Freya was not without her mischievous side, she often was the more responsible sibling to Zidane's more rambunctious brother. The pranks Zidane pulled became legendary, second only to Puck's. In fact, the two had met while running from pranks they had caused, colliding head-on, and got caught during the ensuing argument. This was while Zidane was twelve, before his little sabbatical, while Puck was six. In fact, Puck had demanded that Zidane, when Zidane finished his sabbatical and training with the Dragon Knights, become his royal bodyguard. The two had been inseparable.

Zidane had left Burmecia shortly before Freya did. He had asked for, and been given leave, by the King and the commanders of the Dragon Knights, to seek out his birthplace. Zidane had encountered Freya once during what he called his sabbatical, and had been astonished to learn she had left Burmecia to find Fratley, who had left for his own training two years beforehand, and never returned. The catalyst for both events had been their parents' passing. With her mother and father gone, there was little left for Freya in Burmecia. And she needed to find Fratley, her love.

Thankfully, the King and her commanders saw this not as a desertion. Indeed, in a missive the King sent her via Zidane (the next time they met, once he had been home), he said that she could view this as a mission: to find Fratley, and bring him home.

She was yet to succeed.

Zidane had never found his birthplace (his only clue was a strange, intense blue light), and had returned home, soon becoming Puck's bodyguard. He soon became known as Sir Zidane Crescent-Tribal, a title that rankled with him, she knew, and found amusing.

Sighing despondently, she barely noticed the newcomer as she sipped from her tankard. However, she did hear the familiar voice. "Hey, I'll have the special and a pint."

Bobo, the bartender with a prodigious moustache he loved to twirl, nodded. "Your Soup du Silence will be ready soon. It's 50 Gil."

Freya turned in her seat to find Zidane grinning at her. "Hey, sis!" he said.

"Zidane!" Freya said with a smile. "It's good to see you! But where is Puck?"

"At the castle, having lunch. It's one thing he doesn't like about being on the road: the food. Me, well, it's a bit too posh for my liking in castles. It's been a hell of a few days. Once I finish up, we'll talk about what happened…"

* * *

After finishing meals and drinks at the Doom Pub, Zidane and Freya went to a small, secluded park in the Industrial District, somewhere where the engineers working on the various airships went to relax and unwind. Zidane then told her of an adventure that was scarcely believable…had it not come from the lips of her brother. And it held disturbing undertones.

"A strange tale, if truth be told," Freya murmured. "I have heard rumours that Tantalus' leader, Baku, has connections with Regent Cid, and that sometimes Tantalus does unofficial missions for Cid. It may be that Tantalus was kidnapping Garnet on Cid's orders, in order to bring her to safety."

"Yeah, but Baku seemed to forget about it pretty quick," Zidane said with a scowl. "I can understand him wanting to make sure his comrades were safe, but Cid wouldn't have been happy if he turned up without Garnet alive and well. The thing that worries me is what that Black Waltz thing said, the second one. When Steiner told it that it was attacking Prince Puck, it said, ' _I don't care. Those rats will soon be exterminated! What's one more to begin with?_ ' Which suggests that whoever sent those things is going to wage war against Burmecia. I'll have to tell Regent Cid, especially as it may have been Brahne who sent those things. Steiner doesn't believe it, and I'm not so sure what Garnet thinks either. She's pretty hot, though, and pretty daring for a princess."

Freya scoffed. "You're ridiculous. You're becoming infatuated with Princess Garnet, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't anyone? There's another factor, I think," Zidane said, changing the subject. "Garnet possesses Eidolons, and if Brahne does intend to wage war against Burmecia, Eidolons would be a boon."

"A disturbing thought. To have sent these Black Waltz things to retrieve the princess and kill anyone in the way, it may very well be correct." Freya shook her head. "Never mind. This is not the time for onerous thoughts. Zidane, have you given any thought to entering the Festival of the Hunt? It is on the day after tomorrow."

Zidane blinked. Clearly, he had forgotten. "Actually, I might give it a shot. You entering?"

"I wish to test my skills. Of course I am," Freya said.

Zidane nodded thoughtfully. Then, he seemed to realised something, and fished around in his waistcoat. "Before I forget…Freya, I have something for you. Not long ago, after we left Burmecia for the last time last year, Puck and I met someone." Her heart started beating ever-faster in her chest when she realised who he was talking about. But his next words put a pin in the balloon, so to speak. "I have good news and bad news, sis. The good news is…Puck and I met Fratley some time ago. He's alive and well."

That was better news than she could have hoped for. But why did she have a terrible sense of foreboding about what her brother was about to say next? Almost timidly, she asked, "…What's the bad news?"

Zidane gathered himself, before he admitted, pulling an oiled leather envelope from his waistcoat, "Fratley had amnesia. He remembered his name, how to fight, and the fact that he was a Dragon Knight of Burmecia. But he didn't recognise Puck or me, he didn't remember your name…I'm sorry, Freya. Fratley remembered almost nothing of his life."

Freya felt a sickening jolt run through her body. For a moment, she was tempted to tell Zidane off for jesting with her, for playing the most cruel of pranks. But she knew her brother better than that. They may not be siblings by blood, but they were siblings in everything else that mattered. Struggling, and failing to keep the tears from her eyes, she eventually said, "This is some cruel jest of fate."

"I'm not arguing with you there, sis." He opened the envelope, and handed a paper envelope to her. "I asked him to write this for you. He agreed when I told him how much you loved him."

Freya took the envelope reluctantly, opening it with shaking hands and unsteady fingers, and reading the missive within.

 _Dear Lady Freya,_

 _By the time you read this missive, if what your laudable brother Sir Zidane and his charge Prince Puck has told me is true, you will have learned a truth that is hard for you to bear. I scarcely can believe it myself, but that is due to a lack of memory. I wish I could meet you to speak of this face to face, but alas, I do not know if we will meet any time soon._

 _Please, allow me to apologise wholeheartedly for the heartbreak I have doubtless caused. I have heard tales of Lady Freya Crescent, and of her beauty, grace and skill on my travels, and you sound like a fine young woman. I wish I have not lost my memory, but alas, reality is a cruel mistress. I cannot remember you, or Sir Zidane, or Prince Puck, or the King of Burmecia._

 _I know not how exactly I lost my memory. The first thing I remember with any degree of clarity was waking up in a scholar's study in Treno. I had been found in the river, and luckily, by someone who wished to aid me rather than rob my corpse. According to this benefactor, a Doctor Tot, I had been covered in injuries consistent with Black Magic, and there had been a disturbance at the King mansion, a disturbance I supposedly had some hand in. Tot had brought me to his study, and healed me. Of my confrontation, I remember little, save for the face of a man calling himself Kuja, and mages with pointed hats(_ _1)_ _._

 _Zidane and Puck reminded me of my duty, so while I still search for a means to restore my memory, I will also keep an ear open for any trouble that befalls Burmecia. Should that happen, I will hasten there, and do my best to help our people. Should we meet again, I would like to renew our friendship. For me, I am afraid it must be started utterly afresh. But perhaps that is for the best. I hope to meet you again soon, Lady Freya._

 _Yours sincerely and respectfully,_

 _Sir 'Iron-Tail' Fratley_

Freya felt the tears flow freely. She felt her brother's arm snake around her shoulder in a comforting manner, his tail gently touching her own. After a moment, he said, "Sis?"

"Thank you, Zidane," Freya said quietly, choking back a sob. "At least…knowing is better than not knowing. And should I meet again…I am prepared."

"Freya…he still acts like he used to. He's still 'Iron-Tail'. He's just missing his memories. He's still the same guy you fell in love with," Zidane said soothingly.

"I hope so." Wiping her face on the sleeve of her coat, she frowned when she re-read the letter. "Zidane, did you read this before you gave it to me?"

"No, why?"

"You mentioned that Steiner suspected a Treno noble called Kuja of sending those Black Waltz things after you. Fratley mentions him here."

Zidane blinked, and then read the part of the letter Freya indicated. "I'd completely forgotten about that. Fratley did mention a guy called Kuja. And the way Steiner spoke of him, Kuja's got Brahne's ear. I mean, Steiner can't believe Brahne would do such things, but even so, it could be that Kuja is influencing Brahne to do something. I mean, Steiner claimed that Kuja sold military supplies. And if what Fratley said about seeing pointy-hatted mages is true, he might've been the one to devise the means to create those Black Mage golems. Shit, the moment I can get an audience with Cid, I'll have to talk about this with him."

Freya nodded. "Cid has strong ties with Burmecia. He hasn't had as strong ties with Alexandria since King Addis died(2). He got along better with Addis than with Brahne, from what I have heard."

"Okay. I'll head back to the castle. You want to come with me? I'm sure Cid'll be willing for you to stay."

After a moment's thought, Freya nodded. "Very well. At the very least, it will lend credence to what we have to say. Especially if your hunch is right, and Brahne bears ill-will towards Burmecia…"

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Just a nice little chapter from Freya's point of view. She probably needs it. After partway through the second disc, she all but drops out of the story in terms of importance. Hopefully, as Zidane's adopted sister, she can remain important.**

 **The story will really start to go off the rails when the events in Burmecia come along, with a more personal confrontation against Beatrix, and especially Kuja. In addition, I have decided to end this fic (albeit continue the story in a sequel) once the events of the second disc come to a close.**

 **1\. How did Fratley end up with amnesia? I decided to make it plot-relevant. He basically snuck into the King mansion, having become suspicious of Kuja, only to be attacked by the Black Mage prototypes and Kuja himself, and was left to die in Treno's river.**

 **2\. Addis being the name I gave Garnet's (adoptive) father in my Harry Potter crossover** ** _Amethyst and Garnet_** **. Named for Mark Addy, the actor who plays Robert Baratheon in** ** _Game of Thrones_** **.**


	7. Chapter 6: Portents of War

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **PORTENTS OF WAR**

Cid wouldn't give them an audience until the morning, as he wished to hear what Garnet had to say with their own news. He did say he would send a general warning to Burmecia, to be ready for an attack, on land or by air, though, which was enough to mollify Freya, Puck, and Zidane.

Freya and Zidane joined Garnet and Cid in Cid's throne room the next morning, with Cid assuring them he had sent a courier to Burmecia. They had just finished breakfast, and while Steiner, Vivi, and Puck were going exploring the Business District, the others had to speak of more important matters.

"I came to you because I am increasingly concerned about my mother," Garnet began. "Ever since my father died, she has become increasingly… _erratic_."

"Hardly surprising," Cid said, gwokking as he did so. "They loved each other very much."

"True, but I fear we are becoming estranged. We have not spoken of late, and a strange man, a Treno noble by the name of Kuja, has frequently visited. With what Steiner said, of Kuja supplying military supplies…I fear the worst, and I only pray that I am as mistaken as Steiner believes. Nobody has taken me seriously. Even Steiner does not believe that my mother is planning something, though he at least believes that Kuja is a problem. They all think I am still distraught over Father's death. And General Beatrix has been increasingly distant of late."

"I understand," Cid said. "I am happy that you came to me."

"When I realised Tantalus was coming to Alexandria for my birthday celebrations, I decided to sneak on-board the _Prima Vista_ , and beg for passage. They told me they were there to kidnap me, and yet, they also told me they were willing to bring me to you."

"That is because I asked them to do so," Cid said. On seeing her astonishment, he clarified, "Baku and I go way back, _gwok_ , and he sometimes does things on the side for me that I can't be seen doing officially. King Addis once asked me to protect you, no matter what. We've known about disturbing events in Alexandrian territory for some time, but if we acted directly to extract you…well, it could very well have caused a war, _gwok!_ But if you disappeared during a play, then your mother would have no proof that we acted to bring you here. And with Alexandria adopting a more belligerent attitude of late towards her allies…"

"More than mere belligerence, Regent Cid," Freya said. "I thank you for sending a courier to warn my people. But there is more to this. We believe Kuja is supplying Queen Brahne with the means to create golem soldiers, Black Mages."

"Why is Kuja connected?" Cid asked.

"Steiner himself said that Kuja supplies military supplies, materiel," Zidane said. "He could be an out-and-out arms dealer. I got a letter from Sir 'Iron-Tail' Fratley to give to Freya. Although he has lost much of his memory, he remembered being attacked in Treno by pointy-hatted mages and a man called Kuja. I don't think this is coincidence. And that Black Waltz, the second one, implied that whoever sent him, probably Brahne, didn't care if Prince Puck was killed, and even seemed to say something that meant that Burmecia is being targeted. Even if Brahne isn't responsible, someone's willing to attack Burmecia. As it is, that cargo ship with the Black Mages was being ferried to and from the castle."

Garnet nodded. "And if my mother is planning on using them for war…"

"She wouldn't dare make a move against Lindblum and our airship fleet," Cid said, "but Burmecia is another matter. Burmecia, unlike Lindblum and Alexandria, has no air force or navy. There is their main army, and the Dragon Knights, mostly composed of Dragoons."

"I also believe that she wants Garnet back for another reason," Zidane said. "Were you aware that Princess Garnet possesses Eidolons?"

After a moment, Cid nodded. "Indeed, I do. In fact, of late, Queen Brahne has been sending out requests to various libraries and scholars, as far abroad as Daguerro and even Esto Gaza. All of these requests have been for information about Eidolons. I myself have sent out for information, and some of the texts that have come back from Daguerro disturb me, _gwok_."

"Why is that, Uncle?" Garnet asked.

"Because some of them, which I have managed to obtain copies through my contacts, _gwok_ , include methods of extracting Eidolons, and using them as weapons," Cid said solemnly. "While Eidolons are powerful in battle against monsters, when supercharged with magic, they can lay waste to entire cities. They would certainly provide your mother with the edge she needs to conquer Lindblum. The texts are ancient, at least five centuries old or more, but what they do tell paints a disturbing picture, _gwok!_ While the extraction procedure can be used at any age, it is safest when the summoner is over the age of 16. That is the age when they can start acquiring new Eidolons, beyond the ones they have innate to them."

"Then…what happens if they are extracted from me?" Garnet asked, dreading the answer.

"They become part of a jewel, a summoning focus. The original summoner can 're-learn' the Eidolon by having the jewel in their possession for as long a period as is necessary, but for a non-summoner to use it, they need to infuse the jewel with a massive burst of magic, _gwok!_ "

"Must be why those Black Waltz things were sent to retrieve you," Zidane mused. "They were willing to kill anyone else who even looked like an obstacle, including Steiner. Brahne shouldn't have any doubts about his loyalty. And to attack Puck…she's up to something. If she's really going to war, Eidolons would give her an edge against anyone in her way."

"…I don't know what to say to that. I mean, my heart tells me that my mother would not do anything of that sort, nothing to hurt me, and certainly nothing to wage a war of conquest, for what else can it be in this time of peace? But my intellect…it tells me something is very badly wrong," Garnet admitted. "At first, I just thought that you and I should approach her, try and move towards some sort of understanding…but hearing this…I am not sure whether returning to Alexandria is a good idea at all. At least until I know more about what is happening. I may need your help in convincing Steiner, though. He still seems set on returning to Alexandria ere long. I have persuaded him to wait until at least after the Festival of the Hunt. I would like to contact Doctor Tot for a second opinion."

"Your former tutor? Why?" Cid asked.

"He knew my mother and I better than anyone else," Garnet said. "I also seem to recall him having some interest in the summoners and the Eidolons. This was when I was much younger. The last I heard, he was in Treno, although I know not where. My mother forbade me from contacting him, or you for that matter, citing security concerns. She even threatened the Moogles in the castle and in Alexandria proper with imprisonment, even execution, should my letters be sent through Mognet. I thought it a little extreme, but at the time, I thought her merely overly concerned with my safety."

"She was isolating you," Freya mused. "Trying to cut off avenues of escape. Forgive me for speaking so boldly against your mother, Princess, but that is what it sounds like. Threatening the Moogles was most certainly a step too far in terms of ensuring your safety."

"In retrospect, you may be right, Lady Freya," Garnet said. "Already, all these things, including the factory in Dali, the Black Waltzes, my mother's interest in Eidolons…they paint a truly disturbing picture. Uncle Cid, is there any measure we can take to stop my mother from waging all-out war on Burmecia and Lindblum?"

"At the moment, I have no idea. Assuming we had time, I would have sent envoys to Alexandria, asking about your concerns, leaving out anything incriminating. However, if the Black Waltz did say that Burmecia was being targeted, then it seems we have little time to do even that, _gwok!_ " Cid shook his head. "I'll have what few airships I can spare on standby to send over to Burmecia. Unfortunately, we can spare few. If there is an attack, I will send for the 4th Aerial Division as well. It'll mean losing our eyes over Alexandria's borders with us, but it may be necessary, _gwok-gwok!_ "

"I thank you, Regent," Freya said. "Once I am done with the Festival of the Hunt, I will depart for Burmecia. What of you, Zidane?"

"I'll consider it. It might be risky bringing Puck into a possible warzone, as he'll be one of those targeted." Zidane sighed.

"We'll talk more later," Cid said.

"I concur," Garnet said. "Uncle, if you don't mind, I wish to go to the observatory."

"Go ahead, _gwok!_ Zidane, would you care to escort her?"

"Sure," Zidane said.

* * *

The observatory was a rather beautiful balcony area, with a small garden and even a telescope. As they approached it, Garnet began singing. The eerie, melancholy, but heartwarming song wended its way around the rooftop area. It took some time for the princess to finish, but Zidane was almost moved to tears at the end.

Then, he remembered something from when they stayed in the inn at Dali. "That was you singing that night, wasn't it?" Zidane asked. "In Dali?"

"Yes. You heard me?"

"Yes. You have a truly sweet singing voice, you know," Zidane said sincerely. "But I've never heard that song before. I mean, it's our language, but…I know quite a lot of songs."

"I…don't know. I can't even remember where I learned it," Garnet admitted. "Whenever I feel morose or lonely…singing it helps lift my spirits. It somehow…comforts me, reminds me that I am not alone."

"Maybe it's a mystical song." Zidane leaned up against the wall, near the massive telescope, and sighed. "Princess…I'm sorry I had to say that stuff about your mother. The thing is, my loyalty, first and foremost, is to Burmecia, not to Alexandria. It's my home, you know?"

Garnet nodded, morosely. "What you said, horrifyingly, makes sense. That is what concerns me most. My mother is not like that, not normally, and yet…I fear for peace on the Mist Continent. I don't want anything to happen to her, or your people." She looked at Zidane briefly, before asking, hesitantly, "Zidane…may I ask a personal question?"

"Well, yes. Anything for a beautiful princess like you," he said, before wincing. That line definitely was a bit cheesy.

Garnet sighed irritably, before asking, "Forgive my impropriety, but did you ever try to find out where you came from?"

"…Yeah. Shortly before my sister left Burmecia, I decided to set out to find my own home," Zidane said. "Nearly a whole year I spent travelling. I even took a boat to Daguerro. I call it my sabbatical. I could never find out where I came from. Then again, how could I? The Crescents found me when I was only, what, one year old? All I remember before then is this intense blue light, far more intense than anything I have ever seen. A sky? An ocean? Some weird indoor light? I didn't really have much to go on. I had this weird desire to find it, true, but…I couldn't find it, no matter how hard I looked. And while I travel a lot with Puck, well, I came to realise something when I first came home. The King himself welcomed me back, you see, my parents having died shortly before I left. And I realised, Burmecia was my home. Wherever I come from is my birthplace, but my home is Burmecia. It pisses down with rain every day, and it can be grim, but it's home."

Garnet looked out across the city of Lindblum. After a moment, she said, "You told me about the day you were found. That people claimed you appeared in a blizzard of letters, after a red eye appeared in the sky."

"Yeah, but I never put much stock in it," Zidane said.

"No…but…I have a recurring nightmare. Of being on a ship out during a storm. I'm with a woman…I know it sounds silly, but in that dream, she's my mother, though she looks nothing like my real mother. We look back to where we come from, a village of stone houses…and see a massive red eye, glaring down at it, bathing the village in a blood red light. It's somehow causing the storm, something to attack the village. I had it the day of my birthday, when I dozed off during the afternoon." Garnet shook her head. "Maybe I am just grasping at straws."

"Maybe." Even so, Zidane felt a sting of disquiet. Trying to dispel it, he asked, "Has your mother set you up with any suitors yet?"

"No. She's kept them away. Until now, I have been curious as to why. And grateful. I would have liked to have chosen my betrothed, as did my mother, and I also thought it was to protect me. But now…if she did intend to extract my Eidolons…" She shook her head. "Never mind. That is a matter that can be resolved after this one is." She looked over at the telescope. "I believe I will look through the telescope."

As she bent over, her tight orange coveralls showed off her shapely behind again, and Zidane had to stamp down on some rather lewd thoughts in a hurry. She was beautiful, sexy even, but he didn't want to ruin their growing friendship with anything like that. And it wasn't like he was at the right station. Well, okay, as a royal bodyguard, and a member of the Crescent family (by adoption, anyway), he was already practically nobility. But…he felt more at home, as did Puck, with lower classes. A vagabond bodyguard to a vagabond prince. And it was doubtful he would get the opportunity to be with Garnet in anything more than a friendship.

Still, a guy could dream, couldn't he?

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **You'll note that, unlike in the game, where they have less pieces of the puzzle, Cid and Garnet are getting more of the picture and acting accordingly. Garnet doesn't** ** _want_** **to suspect her mother by any means, but she's also facing reality. In the game, I presume Cid doesn't know Garnet has Eidolons until after they've been extracted from her, whereas here, upon being told, reveals what he has learned about Brahne's own researches.**

 **Now, it may be some time before the next chapter. So please be patient.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	8. Chapter 7: Hunter and Prey

**CHAPTER 7:**

 **HUNTER AND PREY**

That night, Zidane, Freya, Garnet, Steiner, Vivi and Puck ate dinner with Cid. "It is an honour to meet you, Lady Freya," Steiner said. "I have heard many speak admiringly of you, and of Sir 'Iron-Tail' Fratley, not least of which your adoptive brother."

"Thank you, Captain Steiner," Freya said. "I have heard of you too, one of the few warriors to beat General Beatrix in single combat."

"Alas, it was sheer luck that I did so," Steiner said. "It was a friendly duel, though Beatrix and I are not on the best of terms of late. It was thanks to that duel that I was given command of the Pluto Knights."

"Luck has its role on the battlefield, Captain Steiner," Freya pointed out. "It is not something we should rely on, but nonetheless, it is something that should never be discounted."

"Indeed. You seem better-mannered than Sir Zidane."

"Oh, he was always the rambunctious type, but a more loyal little brother you can't find," Freya said. "He doesn't like standing on convention. But he will fight to the death for Burmecia, and for people he wishes to protect."

"Sis, you're making me blush," Zidane said with a grin.

"He's also good at getting us out of trouble," Puck said.

"And I'm sure both of you are equally skilled at getting _into_ trouble," Cid remarked dryly, smiling as best as he could with the mouth of an Oglop. "I have some news from South Gate, _gwok_. They sent me word of the wreckage they found of the airship the Black Waltz used. There are no remains left of the creature, but they found footprints leading away, though the trail disappeared after it got out of South Gate. The slopes where the cable car ascends and descends is full of places to hide, though, _gwok!_ "

"If you send anyone to search for it, you must urge them to take caution," Garnet said. "The two Black Waltzes I witnessed were powerful, and even if injured, this one may still be highly dangerous. Are the repairs going well?"

"They've only just started, but South Gate will be working within a week if not less," Cid said. "The main problem was that the airship the Black Waltz used hit the closing mechanism, _gwok!_ It may surprise you to know that it's not the first time that's happened: smugglers and other ne'er-do-wells have tried to storm through South Gate, only to collide with the closing mechanism. I've sent messages to the supervisors in charge of South Gate. Thankfully, nobody was injured, save for the Black Waltz, _gwok!_ "

"But…those Black Waltzes…and those things under Dali…were they like me?" Vivi asked.

"I don't know," Zidane said. "Didn't you say you had an adoptive grandfather?"

"Yes. He fished me out of the sky, you see. He lived in a cave near Treno," Vivi said. "I told you this, Zidane. Quan raised me. But…I don't remember anything until six months ago."

"Maybe you were one of those Black Mage golems or something," Puck mused. "Only, you got lost or something while being shipped somewhere, and Quan found you. And you became, well, alive."

"…I'm glad I'm not like them," Vivi said quietly. "But…they tried to protect me from the Black Waltz."

"Who knows what they were thinking?" Garnet said. "They may have had some small inkling of a desire to protect you, and they paid for it with their lives. I do not think of you as being at all like them, Vivi. I see a child with extraordinary powers, not an unthinking, uncaring golem."

"I agree," Steiner said. "Even if there is a link betwixt you and those golems, it matters not, Master Vivi. You certainly proved your mettle to me in the Evil Forest."

"Hey, Steiner," Zidane said. "You want to participate in the Festival tomorrow?"

"Alas, no. My duty is with my charge, and if you are intending to participate as Cid has mentioned, then it falls upon me to look after Prince Puck."

"So, what is the Festival of the Hunt, anyway?" Vivi asked. "I was in a store earlier, the nice lady gave me a Kupo Nut for free, and then she told me about the Festival. She said something about animals, and I guess I ran out without hearing anything further, but I heard some other people say it was dangerous."

"It is. There haven't been any deaths in the Festival for years," Cid said, "but injuries are another matter, _gwok!_ Over four hundred years ago, my illustrious ancestor, Regent Cid Fabool I, won the Festival, and founded Lindblum. It is considered a test of courage and valour, _gwok!_ "

"If I may, Regent?" Freya asked. On Cid's nod, she then said to Vivi, "They release a number of wild beasts throughout the city. Mostly Mus, Fangs, and Trick Sparrows, though they usually have at least one big monster. Zaghnols are a popular choice, as they are common at the nearby Pinnacle Rocks. The hunters are given a starting point in a district of the city, and must kill these beasts to gain points. Their score is determined by a special crystal that they are given to wear on their clothing."

"It seems that we have a smaller turnout than usual, _gwok_ ," Cid remarked, looking at a roll of paper. "Aside from the provisional registrations of yourself and Zidane, we have a mercenary by the name of Lani, a man called Amarant who seems to be the security head for Lord King of Treno, last year's winner Belna, Genero, whose brothers are in Tantalus, and Quina Quen."

"Quina's participating? Wonder how many more Blue Magic spells they know," Zidane mused. "And I know that name, Lani. I think I ran into her once. Bounty hunter, rather sexy, but pretty vicious. Wields a huge bloody axe. Not exactly fond of Moogles, if I recall, because when one was going 'Kupo!' all the time, she threatened to chop his head off."

"Something of an overreaction, I would venture," Steiner said. Something they could all agree on.

* * *

It was the next morning, as Zidane got ready to participate in the Festival, that Garnet took him aside. "Zidane…I wished to offer you a small wager."

"What do you mean, Garnet?" Zidane asked.

Garnet seemed rather pensive, before saying, "Should you win the Festival of the Hunt, I will grant you a boon. I shall give you a kiss."

Zidane's eyes widened. "Wait, what? What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"Zidane…my mother kept me away from suitors, and I find myself curious as to what it is like to kiss a boy my age. And your valour is without reproach…mostly. I am not blind to your desire either. That being said, that is all you are getting." She smiled. "Call it an incentive to win."

Zidane grinned. "Now that's an incentive I can get behind!"

"Just don't tell Steiner. He'll object to this most strenuously, and you know it. He holds you in some regard as you are a royal bodyguard, but he is also very protective of me." Her face fell. "Ever since my father died, he has tried to make himself, albeit unwittingly, into a paternal figure. I love him, I really do, but there are times when he is so infuriatingly obstinate."

"Steiner views things purely in terms of his duty and honour as a knight of Alexandria," Zidane said. "I think he's an admirable fighter, and there's not many people who have as much honour as he does. But I didn't like the way he dismissed Blank's sacrifice. He's obstinate, like you said, and he's too close-minded. I'd call him stupid, but he's actually quite intelligent when it comes to battle. He's just over-specialised."

"Yes. That is a kind way of putting it." Garnet smiled as they made their way to the guest bedroom, where he and Freya were to finish their registration for the Festival.

* * *

Both Zidane and Freya chose to get rare equipment as their official rewards if they won the Festival. Freya chose a Coral Ring, while Zidane, upon looking at a list of rare items and weapons on offer as prizes, decided on an Exploda, a double-bladed sword of the sort he liked to use when he wasn't using daggers. While Freya was ferried to the Industrial District to begin, Zidane was taken to the Theatre District.

As he sat in the air-cab, he remembered that Tantalus was based here. In fact, it was in a large building, albeit a decrepit one, with a clock built in. He had only passed by at the time, only taking note of the location, as he and Puck were in need to be elsewhere (Puck had wanted to see the first _Moogle Wannabe_ play, which he turned out to despise, and had thrown peanuts at Lowell Bridges). But he had seen Tantalus, and for all the fact that they turned out to be bandits, he had to admit they were good actors. Something Steiner would doubtless disagree with, but Steiner was rigid and unable to think creatively, outside of combat, anyway. Inside combat, he was a surprisingly canny fighter, something you wouldn't think of if you only saw him striding around in his noisy armour and being about as subtle as a boot to the head. Oh, he had manners and etiquette, but his subtlety left a lot to be desired.

Suddenly, the air-cab came to a halt, and he disembarked. Soon, he would be given the signal to move out onto the streets and begin fighting the animals. He smiled. He was going to give it his all. After all, a kiss from a princess was on the line…

* * *

Elsewhere in the city, one of the participants was approached by one of the guards. "She'll be at the Palumporom Wall, along with the rat kid. You'll have to make your own way there."

"Thanks," the participant said, handing over a bag of money. "Now, that's more than enough Gil to keep your trap shut. Make sure it stays shut. Otherwise, my employer will be very unhappy. And I know where you live."

The guard gulped, and scurried away. Not that it would matter. The participant's employer wanted to ensure there were no loose ends, and the coin bag, once opened, would set off a Death spell after a brief period.

* * *

"They're treating you as a commoner," Steiner grumbled as he, Garnet, Vivi and Puck were escorted by the Lindblum Castle Guard to where they were to spectate the Festival.

Garnet huffed as they were led to a _chemin de ronde_ on an inner wall of the city. "Hush, Captain. In case you have not noticed, we seem to have one of the best views of the city here. And Uncle Cid was kind enough to give us binoculars made for the Hunt. We can track Zidane and Freya via the scoring crystals they wear."

Steiner looked around after Garnet handed him the binoculars, and smiled, despite himself. "My apologies, Prin…I mean Sarah. This is indeed a most excellent view."

"Suck-up," Puck muttered, not quite under his breath. A little more audibly, he said, "I dunno who to root for most, Zidane or Freya!"

"Me neither," Vivi admitted.

"Well, let's cheer them both on, shall we?" Garnet declared.

For several minutes, they watched the various fighters, including Zidane and Freya, as they fought off monsters. Freya and Zidane were neck and neck. But as Garnet watched Zidane with her binoculars, Steiner, who was moving between the various participants, frowned. He realised that one of the participants, Amarant, was running towards this spot. A tall, burly, red-haired man with blue skin, but with a surprising agility for a man of his size. Suddenly, Amarant tore off the tracking crystal on him in a manner that was deliberate.

"HUNTER AMARANT HAS LOST HIS TRACKING CRYSTAL!" yelled an announcer through a loudspeaker system. "HUNTER AMARANT, PLEASE PICK UP YOUR TRACKING CRYSTAL, AND…"

But that was all Steiner paid attention to, for Amarant leapt into the air, and landed on the walkway between him, and the three young ones. Amarant didn't waste any time, punching Steiner, and sending him through the air, landing heavily in a clatter of armour. He then kicked Vivi away, along with a guard moving in to him. Then, he snatched Garnet and Puck up, put them under his arms, and then leapt off the walkway...

* * *

" _ZIDANE! HELP ME!_ "

It was sheer coincidence that Zidane was in the Business District, and not far from where Garnet and Puck had been spectating. In fact, it was sheer coincidence that he was nearby when Amarant landed, Garnet and Puck under his arms. It was Garnet who screamed, and got Zidane's attention, where he saw her, and his charge, held by the red-haired thug.

Amarant scowled, and then began running away. With a yell of anger, Zidane ran after him, feeling the familiar sensation of Trance filling him. "Get back here, you bastard!" Zidane yelled.

"Make me, monkey-boy!" Amarant retorted.

Zidane hurled one of his daggers in a move that could have been considered reckless. He aimed to hit Amarant's ankles, but the man dodged at the last moment. Amarant sneered. " _This_ is how you throw weapons!" he snarled, halting briefly to pick up the dagger and hurling it back at Zidane. Zidane caught it, though he knew that if he wasn't in Trance, he would have had to dodge.

" _SCOOP ART!_ " he yelled, sending a bolt of magenta energy smashing into Amarant. Amarant was smashed to the ground with a roar of pain, and Garnet and Puck managed to scramble free of the red-haired man.

Amarant, meanwhile, struggled to his feet. "Damn you," he snarled. But even as he lunged at Zidane, Zidane leapt into the air and kicked him, Trance enhancing the power of the blow. Amarant staggered backwards, before toppling over, unconscious.

Zidane scowled at Amarant, as some Lindblum guards eventually came out and began dragging the bounty hunter away, though not before securing him. This kidnapping bastard had spoiled his enjoyment of the Festival, and had also taken away his lead. Still, between winning the Hunt and saving Puck and Garnet, he would choose the latter time and time again. As his Trance faded, he looked at Puck and Garnet. "Are you two okay?"

He was surprised when Garnet rushed towards him and kissed him square on the lips. He just barely heard the indignant roar of one Adelbert Steiner. As she broke it off, she said, "That was for saving me. Thank you, Zidane."

"You're welcome…but that was a bit sudden." He looked back over at the walkway where Steiner was hopping up and down indignantly. "And I think your own bodyguard is going to try and cut off my tail," he remarked with a wry ruefulness…

 **CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **The latest chapter! I hope you liked it. I had thought of having Amarant try to snatch Garnet during the Festival of the Hunt, and so decided to try and do so. Hope you liked it.**

 **Now, in case you're wondering, this is an Amarant who wasn't disgraced by Zidane's trickery. He has since become Kuja's enforcer and dirty deeds man. He doesn't have as much 'honour' as he does in the game (and to be frank, about his only honourable deed until he gets a wakeup call is making sure Lani releases Eiko), and he's certainly more of an arsehole.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Akuma-Heika** **: I view being a 'Dragon Knight' as being part of an elite group within the Burmecian military, not necessarily as being a Dragoon. It doesn't necessarily apply in the game's canon. Why Cornelia? Garnet loves** ** _I Want to Be Your Canary_** **, and Princess Cornelia is a character from that play. And Carbuncle, it is implied, was an Eidolon innate to Eiko that she used to seal off Leviathan. In story terms (rather than gameplay terms), she was born with (I assume) Fenrir, Carbuncle, Phoenix, and Madeen (in the form of Mog).**

 **Guest/Jman7** **: Vivi had already proven his worth in battle, and Garnet was too valuable, normally, to take out into what may be a pitched battlefield. But you do have a point. Vivi, in any case, also indicated that he wanted to come, if only to find out more about the Black Mages. Here, they will go to Burmecia to help the Burmecians. And Garnet's parents may have kept her Eidolons a secret, even from Cid. Even best friends have secrets.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	9. Chapter 8: Bad Tidings

**CHAPTER 8:**

 **BAD TIDINGS**

"Have you gotten anything out of him yet?" Zidane asked Cid, his tail lashing irritably at the thought of the man who had nearly kidnapped Garnet.

"No. We've had to put him under heavy restraints, though. You saw his muscles, _gwok!_ The Flaming Amarant is one of the strongest mercenaries known on the Mist Continent." Zidane, Steiner, Freya, Puck, Vivi and Garnet were all following Cid. Freya had managed to win the Festival through her skills, though Zidane came a close second, and may very well have won outright if it weren't for Amarant's interference. They were heading back to the conference room.

"Who is the Flaming Amarant?" Garnet asked. "You mentioned that he was the head of security to Lord King of Treno. What else do you know of him?"

"Not much, _gwok!_ " Cid admitted.

"He doesn't have much of a past," Freya said. "I have heard tales of him, though. His full name is Amarant Coral. He has been working in Treno, mostly as hired muscle for both the gangs in Treno, as well as the nobles. He's a noted martial artist, but kidnapping is not something he's ever done. To date, at least."

"Lord King is supposed to be Kuja's patron," Steiner mused with a scowl. "Either Kuja or Lord King perpetrated this outrage!"

"Always assuming they are not one and the same now," Freya said. "I have heard disturbing whispers from Treno that the King family may very well have been supplanted, that Kuja is the only noble under their aegis to be seen."

"That's disturbing," Zidane said. "Either way, Amarant was sent to kidnap Garnet and Puck, and probably on the orders of either Lord King or Kuja. Someone leaked their location."

Cid nodded. "I know. Already, I found a guard who was known to take bribes dead, _gwok_. We found him in time to determine that it was a Death spell, which had been placed on a money pouch as a boobytrap. Although the pouch itself is a fairly generic one, the leather used to create it is most commonly used in Treno, albeit by the lower classes, _gwok!_ "

"But there is not enough evidence to make anything more than an insubstantial accusation," Steiner scowled. "Our best bet may be to interrogate Amarant."

"My people are on it, Captain. Amarant will be a tough nut to crack, _gwok_ , but he will crack. The only problem is, I fear that events may yet overtake us."

As if summoned by this, they came across a badly-wounded Burmecian, escorted by a couple of guards. Garnet was on him in an instant, using White Magic to heal him, get him out of immediate mortal peril. The Burmecian remained blinded by one wound, but he recovered enough. "…I need…I need an audience…with Regent…Cid…urgent tidings…from the King…"

"I'm here," Cid said. "What's the matter?"

"Burmecia…it is under attack…" the Burmecian soldier rasped. "…Unknown force…we need reinforcements! I beseech you!"

"We'll mobilise our forces immediately," Cid said.

"Thank you…the enemy…they are mages…with steeple-crowned hats…" the soldier groaned.

Vivi uttered a noise of surprise, while Zidane looked grim. It seemed that Brahne had made her move after all.

"I must…I must return…" Suddenly, the soldier let out a groan, and sagged to the ground.

"Take him to the infirmary!" Cid commanded.

Freya carefully checked the soldier's pulse. He was barely alive. "It is a miracle he made it this far," she said as the soldier was gingerly carried away.

"Will he still be alive?" Garnet asked anxiously.

"Your prompt use of White Magic probably saved him, Princess," Freya said. "I thank you for that."

* * *

In the conference room shortly afterwards, Minister Artania said, "We cannot mobilise as many soldiers as we would like, what with the Festival of the Hunt and all. It will take some time to mobilise."

"Then it seems I will have to recall the 4th Aerial Division after all. We'll lose our eyes over Alexandria, _gwok_ , but Burmecia is our ally," Cid said.

"They…th-they said that the attackers were mages with pointy hats," Vivi said timorously. "Do you think…they were like m-m-me?"

"Sadly, that is too real a possibility," Freya said. "What you saw under Dali was probably where these came from. Regent Cid, with all due respect," and she meant a lot of respect, unlike most who used that phrase, "I cannot wait for your soldiers to mobilise. I must go to Burmecia forthwith."

"And what about me?" Zidane asked.

"Your duty is to protect Prince Puck!" Freya said.

"Yeah, but I wanna go too! I mean, it's our home being attacked!" Puck protested. "I need to make sure Dad's okay! Look, Zidane and me are coming with you, and that's final! That's an order from your Prince!"

"I think we should all go," Garnet said.

"Princess, this is a foreign matter!" Steiner declared. "It has nothing to do with us!"

"On the contrary, Steiner, I am certain that my mother is involved, regardless of your opinion on the matter!" Garnet snapped back. "I believe she was influenced by Kuja into funding that Black Mage army, inciting her greed for some unknown end!"

"Even so, it's too dangerous to let you go into such a situation, _gwok!_ " Cid said. "Leaving aside heading into a battlefield, it leaves you vulnerable to being kidnapped again!"

"I am no less vulnerable out there than I am here in Lindblum, or have you forgotten the Amarant nearly abducting me?" Garnet retorted. "At least out there…I can help people, people my mother is trying to kill!"

"Princess, you cannot believe that your mother…" Steiner began, before Garnet cut him off with a glare.

Zidane, meanwhile, looked at Garnet. "Are you sure about this, Princess? Personally, I think you're safer here, even despite Amarant nearly kidnapping you. War is filled with great danger, even more than what we faced coming here. Tell me, if that Burmecian died…how would you feel?"

"…Sad. And…maybe a little afraid," Garnet admitted.

"Good. Being afraid is good, though you should be more so. If you hadn't said that, I wouldn't even consider bringing you. Because in war, people die. They die in their droves. Thankfully, Freya and me have never had to face actual war, but we've heard stories. It ain't glorious, it ain't pretty, and it ain't safe. Tales of heroes and that…that doesn't happen. It's bloody and messy. You'll smell blood and shit and mud and smoke. You'll see people with lives and loves and laughter reduced to little more than raw meat."

"I still want to help!" Garnet snapped. "How can I stay here, knowing that people are dying, and I could help them with my White Magic? I refuse to let you go without me! I am a Princess, a future Queen of Alexandria, and my first duty is to the people! They may not be of Alexandria, but the Burmecians are people all the same! And I will not stand idly by and allow unjust war to lay waste to them!"

"Princess, your resolve is admirable, but I cannot countenance in good faith exposing you to the horrors and atrocities of war so soon. I have only experienced one in my lifetime, a small skirmish, but it is enough for me not to want to see its like again if I can help it," Steiner said. "Sir Zidane is correct."

Zidane realised that Steiner looked pensive. And then, he realised why. "You're worried. Worried about if Alexandria really is behind this, because if you and the Princess go into a warzone, you may have Garnet either taken hostage by the Burmecians, or else the Alexandrians will denounce both of you as traitors."

"Indeed," Steiner admitted after a pause. "I am sworn to protect Queen Brahne and Princess Garnet both, and to protect Alexandria, to fight for her. Do you not understand, Zidane? I am caught betwixt oaths. I do not wish for the Princess to see the horrors of war most of all, but if we venture there, then not only will I be allowing her to venture into danger, but we will, as you say, be seen as traitors."

"I will go to Burmecia," Garnet declared. "My mind is made up. Steiner, if conflicting oaths is what ails you, then I release you from your oath to serve and protect me. I will not have you suffer from conflicting loyalties. You deserve better."

"It is not that simple, Princess!" Steiner yelled. "I thank you for considering my feelings in this matter, but…I don't want to be forced to become your enemy, should the Queen declare you a traitor. Please do not inflict that upon me, I beg of you."

"We're wasting time," Freya said. "Regent Cid, I beseech you, please open up the Dragon Gate, so that Zidane and I may return to Burmecia."

"Very well. Minister Artania?"

The Minister bowed, and then left the room. "While we wait," Cid said, "we'll have the Feast. It is a tradition of the Festival, _gwok!_ "

* * *

Food was laid out on the table in the conference room, and as they ate, Steiner said to Cid, "This beef is superb! My hearty compliments to your kitchen staff, Regent Cid!"

"I'm glad you like it, Captain Steiner. It comes from a farmstead near Pinnacle Rocks. I daresay it's one of the best, if not the best, cattle farm in all of the Mist Continent, _gwok!_ " Cid said.

Zidane toyed pensively with his food, only for Freya to say, "Eat up, Zidane. You'll need all the energy you can get when we head home."

Zidane nodded morosely, before eating. It was good food, well-cooked, but even so, knowing that a few hours' march away, his people were dying…

"Sir Zidane," Steiner said quietly. "Do you think it is possible…that Kuja has bewitched my Queen?"

After a moment, Zidane conceded, "Yeah, it's certainly possible. Why would he do that, though?"

"I can think of some reasons. Perhaps he wishes to back Alexandria's conquest for his own power. Mayhap he intends to topple Queen Brahne, along with the other rulers of the Mist Continent, and become ruler of this entire land. And there is something that I do vaguely remember from when Doctor Tot was around. Tot alluded to a stone important to a summoner tribe that vanished from history five centuries ago. Given that Kuja may be interested in Eidolons, particularly the Princess', I thought it may have some small bearing on this matter."

"I remember that," Garnet said. And then, she blinked. She pulled from her shirt the Royal Pendant of Alexandria. "Uncle Cid…I need to see the Falcon Claw."

"After our meal, Princess," Cid said, but Garnet then dashed out.

Some minutes later, she came back in, the Falcon Claw in hand. The same with the pendant. "They match…" she murmured.

"What?!" Puck yelped.

"Well, look!" Garnet said, pressing the two irregularly-shaped jewels together. They fit together, not perfectly, and there was much missing, but it was clear that, once, they had been part of the same jewel, a spherical jewel. "Uncle…where did the Falcon Claw come from again?"

"…That's a very good question, _gwok!_ Supposedly, it was given to Lindblum, sometime before the advent of the Ninth Lindblum war…over five centuries ago…" Cid tailed off as he realised. "Oh dear, _gwok!_ "

"Are you saying…that the Royal Jewels of Alexandria, Cleyra, and Lindblum, were once the same jewel?" Freya asked.

"Cleyra has a jewel like this?" Steiner asked.

"According to legend. I even saw a drawing of it once, from one of the few of my people ever allowed admittance to Cleyra since the schism," Freya said. "Cleyra admits few visitors, but there have been some, usually emissaries from Burmecia. Cleyra has stated before that it will take on the Burmecians, should Burmecia be attacked, which means…"

"They're after the Royal Jewels," Zidane said. "Kuja and Brahne are after them. If it has a link to the summoners, maybe it's the focus of an extremely powerful Eidolon. It'd explain why they want them."

"I see a problem, though," Freya said, peering at the semi-assembled jewel. "Even with the fragment from Cleyra, the jewel would be incomplete. A small fragment would still be missing, if that drawing I saw of the Cleyra jewel was any indication. There must be a final piece still missing."

"Kuja may know where it is. He may even have it in his possession already," Steiner mused. "But starting a war over such a small thing, even with such power! I will not rest until his hold over the Queen is broken, and he is put to the sword! I have made up my mind, Princess! I will be going with you, to break Kuja's hold over Her Majesty, and to ensure he is brought to justice! Then we can start with reparations!"

"Good, then we're settled," Zidane said. "Vivi, are you going to stay here?"

"No. I wanna help too. Anyway, if these are Black Mages like me…I wanna know what they are. Whether I have anything to do with them," the young Black Mage said morosely.

"Very well," Freya said. "From the Dragon's Gate, we will then move through Gizamaluke's Grotto. From there, we will head to Burmecia proper."

"The Qu's Marsh is on the way, isn't it?" Zidane asked. "Quina Quen might be back there after the Festival. S/he might be amenable to helping us fight. S/he's a good fighter when s/he put's their mind to it."

"If we're quick, we'll do it," Freya said. "We'll need all the help we can get…"

 **CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And here you have it, the latest chapter. It took me a while to figure out, especially with Steiner's conflicting loyalties. I decided, with his particular brand of logic and unswerving devotion to Brahne, he would basically think that Brahne was bewitched into waging war. This helps him, in his mind, keep the spirit of his oaths. He's not wholly wrong, but Kuja influenced Brahne rather than hypnotising her, which is what he thinks. I also wanted Garnet to give a reasonable reason for venturing into dangerous territory.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	10. Chapter 9: The Battle of Burmecia

**CHAPTER 9:**

 **THE BATTLE OF BURMECIA**

They'd recruited Quina with ease, given how Zidane had been acquainted with the rather simple-minded Qu before. The party made their way to Gizamaluke's Grotto, to find the entrance littered with the corpses of Burmecian soldiers. Unfortunately, they were too far gone for Life magic or Phoenix Downs to be of any use.

With grim determination, the group made their way through to the main entrance hall, to find it bedlam. Black Mages were attacking Burmecian soldiers, with Zorn and Thorn giving the orders. Without any warning, Garnet began casting Shell spells, protecting the Burmecians from the oncoming spells. "Crap, that's blown our cover!" Zidane hissed.

"Did you want them to die, Zidane?!" Garnet hissed back.

"No, but you may have exposed us too soon," Freya said quietly. "Never mind. _FOR BURMECIA!_ " With that, she literally leapt into the fray, impaling a Black Mage with her spear.

"It's Freya!" yelled one Burmecian.

"Lady Freya herself!" another called.

Zidane sighed, before he said quietly, "This might be a useful distraction. I'm going after those damned clowns." With that, he crept over, while Zorn and Thorn glared at Freya.

"So, this is Lady Freya Crescent?" Zorn asked.

"Matters, it does not," Thorn sneered. "Die, she will."

"Kill them all!" the twin jesters chorused, only for Zidane to knock them both out, slamming their heads together hard. He then hauled them over to Steiner, Vivi, Garnet, Puck, and Quina. He then rushed back into the fray, dancing amongst the Black Mages, taking them by surprise, while Freya and the other Burmecians fought back from the front.

The morale provided by Freya's appearance, along with Zidane and Freya's help, ensured that the Black Mages fell. "Lady Freya!" one of the soldiers exclaimed. "Sir Zidane! Thank Master Gizamaluke you are here! We were nearly overwhelmed!"

"What happened?" Freya asked.

"We were sent here to guard Master Gizamaluke, because if he should fall, along with his Grotto, then morale would fall too. But those damned jesters used those Black Mages on us."

Zidane frowned. "Did any of them try to speak?"

"All they did was yell 'KILL!' at us. Why do you ask?"

"We're currently travelling with another Black Mage. However, he is but a child, and is more than a mere golem," Freya said. "We travel too with Prince Puck, along with Quina Quen the Qu, and two others."

The soldier frowned, before he said, "If you can vouch for these others, we'll let you through, Lady Freya."

"Thank you," Freya said, indicating for Zidane to go and fetch the others. As he did so, Freya continued, "What news of His Majesty?"

"The last we heard, he was commanding our forces in Burmecia. The last thing we heard was that some airships from Lindblum were supporting us," the soldier said. He noticed the quintet following Zidane as they approached, Zorn and Thorn carried by Steiner and Quina respectively. "Wait, isn't that Garnet?"

"The Princess of Alexandria?" another mused.

"And ain't that Captain Steiner?"

"Princess Garnet came here because she wanted to stop this war, and do what she could to help," Freya said, the tone of her voice shutting down most protest. "Captain Steiner is her sworn bodyguard first and foremost."

Garnet approached an injured soldier, her hands glowing with White Magic, but he recoiled. "Stay the hell away from me, you Alexandrian bitch!"

Garnet leapt back, mortified, while Steiner roared, " _HOW DARE YOU ADDRESS THE PRINCESS SO SHAMEFULLY! AND AFTER SHE WISHED TO GIVE YOU UNGRATEFUL BURMECIANS AID!_ "

Sadly, that provoked a loud argument, before Puck threw down a vial filled with something that made a loud bang and a flash. "Shut up you lot! Garnet's all right in my book, and so's Steiner and Vivi! You wanna argue with your prince?"

Puck's flash bomb had derailed the argument, and Garnet healed the soldier who had objected to her ministrations earlier while she had the opportunity. More calmly, Zidane said, "Look, we've captured these two idiots. If they were leading those Black Mages, they might be valuable as hostages to Brahne."

"…Can you trust Garnet or Steiner? Or that Vivi?" the lead soldier said.

Freya looked at Zidane. Quietly, she said, "My brother trusts them. In any case, Captain Steiner believes that Queen Brahne is under the influence of a Treno arms dealer by the name of Kuja. Princess Garnet has an innate power that Brahne intended to use to increase her military power, and she fled Alexandria for Lindblum when she thought something was wrong. She has headed here to aid the Burmecian wounded. As for Vivi, he came here to find out more about these golems."

The soldier looked at Vivi, poking forlornly at a corpse of a Black Mage golem. "Very well, Lady Freya, but take due care."

* * *

They made their way through Gizamaluke's Grotto, pausing only to rescue a Moogle who had been trapped beneath the Great Bell, apparently as a cruel prank by Zorn and Thorn. They then passed through Gizamaluke's chamber, though the divine beast was sleeping.

Finally, they emerged, and saw, in the distance, battle being waged. Alexandrians versus Burmecians. It wasn't as one-sided as it could have been, especially with a few of Lindblum's airships aiding the Burmecians.

"This is madness," Steiner breathed.

"Indeed," Freya concurred.

"Why all this fighting? Why not have talks over delicious dinner?" Quina remarked. "They call Qu stupid, but this stupid."

"You get no arguments from me, Quina," Zidane said. "We need to get behind the Burmecian lines." He then looked around, and grinned when he spotted some Chocobos, tied up nearby. "The soldiers must've used them to get here. You ever ride a Chocobo, Garnet?"

"I've been meaning to try," Garnet said with a smile.

* * *

They soon managed to get behind the Burmecian lines, and soon found the King discussing something with his chancellor near the gates to Burmecia proper. "…before long, and we may need to start the evacuation to Cleyra," he was saying.

"Yo, Pops, I'm back!" Puck called out.

The King looked at them. "Puck! Zidane! Freya!" He noticed their comrades. "With a rather motley crew."

Garnet dismounted from her own Chocobo, and bowed. "Greetings, Your Majesty. It's a pleasure to meet you, even in such fraught circumstances. I wish they were better."

"Indeed, Princess Garnet. I admit I'm surprised to see you accompanying two of my most loyal soldiers and my son…and in the company of a Black Mage too."

"Master Vivi is nothing like those soulless golems!" Steiner snapped. "Your Majesty, I must apologise for this. I have reason to believe that my queen been bespelled by an arms dealer known as Kuja. It is the only reason why I have consented to allowing the Princess to be here."

"Kuja?" the King of Burmecia asked. "He came here some months before, asking about the Desert Star of Cleyra. You say he is influencing Brahne?"

"For his own gain," Steiner said.

The King nodded. "Very well. And you, Princess?"

"I am a White Mage, Your Majesty. I wished to help with the wounded where I could."

"And what of these two? They are Queen Brahne's jesters, are they not?" the chancellor asked, indicating Zorn and Thorn.

"They were commanding the Black Mage forces in Gizamaluke's Grotto," Zidane said. "They might have some use as hostages."

"Maybe, but Brahne seems determined…hold," the King said, looking across the battlefield. "The fighting is stopping. Brahne is pulling back her forces."

The chancellor, who took a pair of binoculars from a nearby soldier, looked through them. "I see two riding this way…under a flag of parley. General Beatrix…and…if I'm not mistaken, that is Kuja."

"Can I see?" Zidane asked. He took the binoculars as the chancellor handed them to him, and then looked at the approaching riders, on a Chocobo each.

Beatrix was easy to spot. A beautiful, but cold-featured woman with brown hair, an elegant warrior known for her prowess in battle. But the other was very different. A slender, pale effeminate man with lavender hair framing cruelly beautiful features. He seemed to be wearing a combination of rather revealing robes, and a thong. Was this Kuja?

"I'll have to send someone to negotiate," the King said. After a moment, he said, "Lady Freya, Sir Zidane, I need you to see what they want."

* * *

Zidane had to admit, he was actually very nervous. And with good reason. Even his Chocobo was skittish, riding across the muddied and bloodied battlefield, strewn with Burmecian and Alexandrian corpses alike, along with some Black Mages.

But here he was, and just returned to his home, and he was about to parley with General Beatrix, one of the most feared warriors of the Mist Continent. It was rumoured she once slew a hundred men single-handedly in a single battle in her teenage years, before she was promoted to General of the Alexandrian military.

But oddly enough, it wasn't Beatrix who scared him most. It was Kuja. While Steiner's theory was sound, Zidane personally thought that Kuja had not used any magic, instead psychologically manipulating Brahne into the war she had just started. But why, and to what end? It hinged on the Eidolons, Zidane would bet.

They soon met, between the two armies, Beatrix looking at them with both respect and some disdain, while Kuja seemed to smirk, though his eyes had a strange recognition in them when he looked at Zidane. "Sir Zidane Tribal-Crescent and Lady Freya Crescent of Burmecia," Beatrix said politely. "I am, as you may know, General Beatrix of Alexandria. It seems that your King has seen fit to send fine warriors as his representatives."

Freya nodded her head. "Well met, General. Would you introduce your companion?"

"Ah, but where are my manners?" Kuja said. "Excuse my rudeness. I am Kuja, a consultant with Her Majesty on her military supply."

"An arms dealer," Zidane sneered. "Not a warrior."

Beatrix shot Zidane and Freya an apologetic look. "My queen was most insistent on his accompanying me. Perhaps we should hasten to the crux of the matter. Our scouts relayed messages to us that Princess Garnet til Alexandros XVII and Captain Adelbert Steiner had arrived in your company. The Princess was abducted by brigands, but attempts to retrieve her were repulsed."

"General Beatrix, with all due respect, and you are due quite a lot due to your ability and station," Zidane said, drawing upon every ounce of his deportment and etiquette lessons, "Princess Garnet wished to depart from Alexandria for Lindblum. She was concerned about her mother, and was afraid for her own safety. She had stowed away onboard the _Prima Vista_ of her own accord, and I ended up on there through happenstance. I took it upon myself to escort her and Captain Steiner, along with my charge Prince Puck, to Lindblum. What she had to say was concerning and disturbing, to say the least. We escorted her here because she wished to help the Burmecians, as well as understand exactly why her mother has discarded a peace treaty for an act of seemingly unwarranted aggression."

Beatrix frowned. "I see."

Kuja chose that moment to remark, "But her mother was so heartbroken to see her depart, to find that even her own daughter did not trust her. She desires nothing more than her return."

"So she can have her Eidolons extracted?" Zidane said. Surprise bloomed on their faces. Beatrix seemed surprised to learn of that, while Kuja seemed surprised that Zidane had guessed what he had intended. "The Black Waltzes sent after us seemed willing to kill anyone in their way to retrieve Princess Garnet."

"Her Majesty was concerned for her daughter's safety," Beatrix said, though she sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

Kuja, meanwhile, smiled, as was his wont to do. "Which is why we want her returned to her mother forthwith."

"And what if she doesn't want to?" Zidane said.

Kuja tittered. "I do believe she has no choice in the matter."

Suddenly, there was a roar behind them, and screams. Zidane and Freya whirled to find a silver dragon swoop out of the sky and into the Burmecian camp, roaring. "Kuja!" Beatrix yelled. "We were here under flag of parley! And yet you have directed your pet to attack the Burmecians while…"

"Oh, spare me your moralistic objections, Beatrix!" Kuja snapped. "Brahne told me to retrieve Garnet by any means necessary, and as we spotted Zorn and Thorn as their prisoners, we needed to rescue them as well. If violating parley is what is needed, then so be it!"

As screams came from Burmecians the dragon was tearing apart, Freya whirled in her saddle to face Kuja once more. "You treacherous bastard!" she snarled.

Kuja chuckled. "Oh dear, have I made you angry? You shouldn't be. I was the one who gave you your little brother, after all. Then again, he is _my_ little brother too."

Zidane felt a chill run down his spine at that proclamation. But before he could utter any kind of denial or demand, an instinct warned him to leap from his Chocobo, Freya doing the same, before the dragon flew right into the Chocobos, sending them sprawling, their necks, along with many of their bones, broken. Zorn and Thorn were now perched on the silver dragon, conscious and glaring at Zidane and a dazed Freya, while Garnet was clutched in one of the clawed feet of the dragon, semiconscious. That it managed to stand on one leg without looking ridiculous would have been astonishing under other circumstances, but Zidane didn't care. This bastard was kidnapping Garnet!

Kuja leapt from his own Chocobo onto the dragon. "Sorry, but I've got to fly, as they say in the vulgar vernacular. I'm taking them to Treno! Tell Brahne I will be back with the tools for her victory!"

Zidane leapt onto the tail of the dragon as it took off. "You're not getting away with this!" Zidane yelled. Even as the dragon began taking off, he crawled along the writhing tail, no mean task, before he reached the body. He swatted Zorn and Thorn, who, thankfully (for them if nobody else) fell a grand total of a few metres into mud.

Kuja turned to face him. "Well now, aren't you persistent, Zidane?"

"No shit!" Zidane snapped. But as he charged, the dragon bucked, and he nearly lost his footing. By the time he had recovered, they were already high in the sky.

"Language," Kuja chided. "You should show a little more gratitude to the one who gave you a home."

"Even if you're destroying it?!" Zidane retorted. He lunged, daggers in hand, only for Kuja to hold out his hand in a curious, halting gesture. Zidane froze in mid-air, glaring at Kuja.

"People die all the time, Zidane. That's what people do. And I'm of the opinion that you have lived long enough. You have cost me one of my best people in Amarant, not to mention time and resources." With a gesture, Kuja brought Zidane floating so that he now hovered over nothing, just a long drop, and a sudden stop. "Goodbye, Zidane."

* * *

Garnet roused herself from her daze in time to see the ground dropping away below them, soon hazy in the Mist. She resisted the urge to scream in fright. Even so, her heart pounded in her breast, her mouth hung open in shock.

 _Call me_.

There it was. One of the voices that haunted her for all of her life. One of her Eidolons. Bahamut, the Dragon King.

 _Why do you not call me?_

Garnet remained silent.

 _You are afraid_.

"Of course I am," she whispered to herself, the words lost to the wind, even as she heard Kuja and Zidane speak above.

 _We are bound to obey our summoner. You could do great things with your power, Garnet. Or should that be Sarah, of Madain Sari?_

Garnet blinked. "What?"

 _Do you think the name you chose coincidence? No. That was the name your mother gave you, your birth mother. You came to help others, Garnet, but you cannot help yourself, because you are afraid to. Power is a seductive thing, and it is good to be afraid of power…but what use is power if you cannot use it to protect those who you need to?_

Suddenly, with a scream, Zidane dropped by, almost in slow motion. _No!_ Garnet thought.

 _You have a chance to save him. Call me. Because if you don't, HE WILL DIE! DO YOU WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, PRINCESS GARNET TIL ALEXANDROS XVII?! DO YOU WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, SARAH OF MADAIN SARI?!_

 _NO!_

 _THEN CALL ME!_

Different fears warred within Princess Garnet. Fear of the power within her…and fear of seeing a boy she had come to like die. He had saved her life many times over already. It was past time she repaid the favour.

Fear of seeing him die won out, and mental blocks, self-imposed, were shattered. Garnet thrust out a hand as Zidane plummeted towards the ground, feeling the magic and the power surge up within her. No fear, save for failing to save Zidane. "I implore you, emerge, King of Dragons, _Bahamut! SAVE ZIDANE!_ "

 **CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Well, there's a turn-up for the books. Garnet's unlocked her ability to summon properly, getting rid of her mental blocks. This was an idea I'd had for some time while writing this, having Kuja abduct Garnet at Burmecia, only for Garnet to turn the tables while Zidane was in trouble. Hope you enjoyed this twist. Hopefully, the next chapter won't be so long coming.**

 **No numbered annotations this time…**


	11. Chapter 10: Garnet's Origins

**CHAPTER 10:**

 **GARNET'S ORIGINS**

Zidane was certain he was about to die. True, he had been in potentially lethal situations before, but they almost always had an escape clause. Gravity, however, had no such thing, unless you could fly, or else have that parachute thing Cid invented for his airships as a safety measure. He was about to become a bloody smear on the ground below, and he wouldn't be able to help Garnet, or Freya, or Puck, or Vivi, or Steiner, or anyone!

But then, he heard Garnet yell something he couldn't hear over the roar of the air in his ears. He then heard a draconic roar, one different to Kuja's steed, from above, and the beat of massive wings. All Zidane got was a blurred impression of scales before he hit something, hard.

As he struggled to get air back into his lungs, part of his mind analysed the situation. Normally, considering how fast he had been falling, he would have been a very messy pile of meat and bone on whatever he hit, so either magic was involved to slow his fall (a Float spell could have helped), or whatever he landed on had matched his dive speed enough so that his landing was merely painful instead of lethal.

Once he managed to start breathing again, he took stock of his situation. He was currently on the back of a dragon with dark scales. That must have been what saved him. But why would this dragon save him?

 _Are you done yet?_ a tenebrous voice spoke into his mind. _I know I just saved you from turning into an oversized jam stain on the ground, but time is of the essence_.

Zidane shook his head to clear it. An imbecilic joke about hearing voices in his head due to concussion died on his lips. Instead, he got straight to the point. "Who are you?" he asked.

 _I am Bahamut, the Dragon King, and, to date, the most powerful of Garnet's Eidolons_ , came the voice again as the dragon began rising into the air. _We have no time to waste. Kuja is absconding with my master. She called upon me to save your life, breaking through many mental blocks in the process. What's more, she has unintentionally entered into Trance. Behold_.

They had risen high enough that they could see Kuja's dragon, and Garnet clutched in its claws. But she had changed. He realised he had never seen her in Trance before. A small but vocal part of him wolfwhistled, mentally. The rest merely stared in awe. It was as if her hair had become like gold, her clothing replaced by a one-piece swimsuit with sleeves. Veins, or perhaps vine-like patterns, adorned her legs. Even now, with strength lent to her by Trance, she was prising the claws of the dragon open, with difficulty even with her new strength, but she managed to open them, dropping just as Bahamut came up underneath. She landed like a cat, with grace and elegance, and Zidane got a most wonderful view of her now-glowing callipygian derriere.

"Zidane, are you all right?" Garnet asked, turning to face him.

"Umm, yes," Zidane said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Thanks for saving me."

"You are welcome, but it will have to wait," Garnet said with a sad smile. As she turned back, watching Kuja's dragon as it circled around to confront them, she said, "It is my turn to protect you. Bahamut, destroy Kuja's dragon. However, I intend to capture him, find out what his true intentions are."

 _Very well, Garnet. MEGA FLARE!_ A blast of energy screamed out of Bahamut's mouth, and only the alacrity of Kuja's dragon allowed it to dodge in time.

"Whoa!" Zidane yelped, astonished by the power he felt from the energy blast Bahamut had belched out.

"Bahamut is the most powerful of the Eidolons within me," Garnet said. "The Queen of Ice, Shiva. The Lord of Fire, Ifrit. The Maw of the Void, Atomos. The King of the Dark, Odin. And the Dragon King, Bahamut. But we must not tarry. I cannot sustain Bahamut in this world for long, even with Trance."

"I have a couple of Ethers, will they help?"

"No. This is a different matter," Garnet said. Her eyes widened when Kuja began fleeing at greater speed. Bahamut made every effort to follow, and was soon catching up, clearly faster than the silver dragon. Zidane realised they were approaching South Gate.

"He called me his little brother for some reason," Zidane said. "When Freya and I went to parley, he claimed to be the one who left me at Burmecia."

"Then we can add to the questions for him to answer," Garnet said with grim determination. Kuja dove as they passed over South Gate. Perhaps he was trying to goad Garnet into damaging South Gate even more than the Black Waltz did.

If so, Garnet didn't care, or at least she didn't care as much. "Bahamut, intercept him."

Bahamut rumbled in assent, before moving forward in a massive burst of speed. Kuja's eyes widened, and he leapt off his dragon and onto Bahamut just as Bahamut reached the silver dragon…and bit down savagely on its neck. Kuja looked behind him, and then back at Garnet and Zidane with annoyance writ on his features. All too calmly, he said, "I _liked_ my dragon."

As the silver dragon dropped away, its neck a gory ruin, Garnet said, "A magnificent beast, true…but it was necessary to stop you."

* * *

On the ground below, Marcus of Tantalus was fighting for his life against a deranged Black Mage with wings, who kept hissing, "I exist only to kill!" A shadow came over them both as they fought near the trams, and Marcus had enough sense to leap out of the way before the corpse of a dragon fell out of the sky and squashed the Black Waltz flat.

Marcus got to his feet, and looked at the corpse of the dragon, which had managed to avoid blocking the tram's path. "Is this what the Boss calls a 'deus ex machina' in those plays we do?" he muttered, scratching his head. He then saw another, bigger dragon in the sky, with what looked like three people perched on them, including a glowing girl in a swimsuit.

Wait, what?

* * *

"Still, in your pursuit of me, you have only played into my hands," Kuja said with a smirk. "We are so very close to Treno. And while Zorn and Thorn would have been useful in extracting your Eidolons, I can still…"

Zidane dashed forward, and punched Kuja. The action actually took the effeminate man by surprise, as he slumped onto the scaly back of Bahamut, unconscious. Zidane, however, shook his hand in pain. "Damn, he's got a skull like a rock."

Garnet nodded, before she suddenly swayed. Then, she collapsed, her Trance transformation reversing itself.

 _Zidane, with her unconscious, I cannot remain in this realm for much longer. I need to land!_ Bahamut told him.

"Got it!" Zidane yelled. Bahamut swooped down, until he had just barely passed the Treno Gate, before he disappeared. He had slowed down, but even then, despite being close to the ground, Zidane tumbled rather badly, and was knocked out. He didn't know how long he was out for, but his next sight, after being shaken awake, was of a familiar bandit with an underbite and an orange bandanna staring down at him.

"You okay?" he asked.

Zidane nodded, wincing at his headache. "Yeah." Recognition flashed across his mind. "Hey, you're Marcus, aren't you? One of Tantalus, right?"

"Yeah. I remember you, you're that bodyguard of that bratty Burmecian prince," Marcus said. "Zidane, right?"

"Yeah." Zidane looked around. Garnet and Kuja were both sprawled on the ground nearby. He went over to Garnet and checked her pulse. Finding it okay, and her uninjured, he tried to wake her, only to fail. "Must be magical exhaustion or something. Summoning an Eidolon like she did under stress can't be healthy."

"Eidolon? You mean that dragon thing you guys were riding?" Marcus asked. "I dunno whether to be pissed or pleased: that other dragon it killed nearly squashed me. It certainly squashed that psycho Black Mage with the wings."

Zidane looked at him sharply, before smirking. "Must've been that Black Waltz. Good, it's dead. Look, Marcus…I'll need your help."

"Okay, but I can only do so much. The Boss is meeting me in Treno to retrieve something to save my bro," Marcus said.

"Bro? You mean Blank?" Zidane asked. "Sorry about what happened to him."

"Don't be. We found out about a special medicine called Supersoft that Lord Bishop supposedly has," Marcus said.

Zidane thought about it. After a moment, he realised something, remembering what both Garnet said, as well as the letter from Fratley to Freya. "Marcus, Garnet's old tutor lives at Treno, a Doctor Tot. He might know exactly where it is if he has a link to the Bishops, he might even have it. If you help me bring these two to him, he could help. If not, I'll help you retrieve it anyway. Okay?"

After a moment, Marcus nodded. "Okay, you got yourself a deal. You seem rather willing to break into a Treno mansion, though, for a royal bodyguard."

As Zidane picked up Garnet in a bridal carry, trying very hard not to squeeze her derriere, he said, "Puck and I got into all sorts of trouble. And out of it. Breaking and entering's easy."

* * *

Thankfully, Kuja didn't wake up during their trek to Treno. A quick question to a citizen, however, got the information Zidane had hoped for: Tot was indeed in the employ of Lord Bishop, though he currently resided in a once-abandoned tower in Treno's outer area, near the Bishop residence and the synthesist shop.

Zidane and Marcus took their burdens to the tower indicated, and Zidane began slamming his fist on the door. "Open up! We need help!"

It took several minutes of Zidane hitting the door, but eventually, it opened, to reveal a short man with a prodigious nose, bushy red hair, and eyes peering out myopically from behind thick spectacles. "What is it?" the man asked.

"Doctor Tot?" Zidane asked.

"Indeed I am," Tot said.

"I have an old student of yours that needs help," Zidane said. "Marcus here wanted to ask a favour, but…"

"Princess Garnet?" Tot asked, realising whom Zidane was holding. "Come in, right away!"

* * *

They had climbed up the spiral stairs around the inside of the old tower, before coming to an old study with a decrepit, massive globe in the middle, with a telescope sticking out of it. "You got any rope?" Marcus asked.

"Some, in that box. Why, who is this man? He looks somewhat familiar. I've seen him in the King Auction House."

"His name is Kuja," Zidane said, as he took the rope, and expertly tied Kuja to a nearby chair. "He's an arms dealer who has persuaded Brahne to launch an assault on Burmecia. He also wanted Garnet for the Eidolons within her. You did know about those, right?"

Tot nodded. "Regent Cid recently contacted me. And I made something of a study of them. I found it curious that Princess Garnet possessed them."

Garnet stirred, her eyes flickering open, and she smiled weakly. "I remember that little lecture you did, about the Pendant. It's good to see you, Doctor Tot."

"Likewise, Princess," Tot said with a smile. He handed her an Elixir, which she gulped down greedily, her usual deportment left by the wayside.

"Are you all right, Garnet?" Zidane asked.

"I am fatigued, but I will live," Garnet said, getting shakily to her feet. "Where are we?"

"In my abode, in Treno," Tot said. "Your friend brought you here, along with this rather roguish individual, and that man currently tied to the chair."

"Roguish?" Marcus asked, unsure whether to take it as a compliment or an insult. "Okay, listen, Doctor Tot, I'm sorry to spoil your reunion with your old student, but I need to know something. D'you have the Supersoft?"

"Supersoft? Actually, indeed I do," Tot said, wandering over to a shelf, and plucking a bottle from it. "Lord Bishop gave me a small supply for use in my experiments. Why do you need it?"

"I have a friend who's petrified in what remains of the Evil Forest," Marcus said, deciding, for once, honesty was the best policy. "A normal Soft wouldn't have worked. Zidane said he would help me obtain it in exchange for bring Garnet here."

"Well, I suppose if it's to save your friend…are you a member of Tantalus?"

"Yeah."

"Ah. Here you go," Tot said, handing Marcus the bottle.

"Great, thanks! Listen, I've gotta go and meet the Boss, tell him what's happened. Then, I gotta get going, save my bro. Sorry I can't stay. Good luck, you two," Marcus said, before he left.

The silence that followed was thick and uncomfortable. Oddly enough, the usually demure Garnet was the one who broke it. "Doctor Tot…who am I, really?"

"Princess?" Tot asked, puzzled.

"…When Zidane was falling, when Bahamut was telling me to call upon him, he called me both Princess Garnet…and Sarah of Madain Sari. He told me Sarah was the name my birth mother gave me. And I, as far as I know, am unique in having Eidolons in the whole of the Mist Continent. And with my mother seemingly determined to wage war with Eidolons as her weapons, I need to know if you know anything."

Tot stared at her, his mouth agape, before he began pacing and thinking. After a moment, he murmured, "That must be it."

"What is?" Zidane asked.

After a moment, Tot said, "I must ask you to keep this quiet for the moment, Zidane. If word of this gets out, it would shake the very foundations of anyone who wishes to support Garnet. The truth is, I had almost forgotten about this. Perhaps I wanted to. The truth is…Princess Garnet til Alexandros XVII died at the age of six. It was a bad illness that took her. I was, along with the King and Queen, the only one who knew the truth. They were unable to face releasing the truth to the public, and were dallying. But then, a storm whipped Alexandria, and afterwards, a rather rickety boat entered our port. A woman and a girl were in that boat. The woman was dead, a blow to the head from loose rigging, given what I saw. The girl was still alive, but feverish, delirious, unable to remember anything. But when we examined the girl further…we were surprised. For the girl was almost exactly like the late Princess Garnet in every regard, save for one."

"And what's that?" Garnet asked with quiet trepidation, fearing the answer.

"The girl had a horn, as did the woman, her deceased mother. After I determined that she would survive the fever, the King ordered the horn removed by surgery. Even though she was drugged during the operation, one I undertook myself…the girl cried out in pain. When she recovered, she was presented as Princess Garnet, and raised as such. You are that girl."

"…Queen Brahne is not my real mother?" Garnet asked quietly.

"Not by birth or blood," Tot said sadly. "In fact, given what you said your Eidolon said, you come not from Alexandria…but the legendary village of the summoners, Madain Sari. Supposedly, it was there that they fled to five centuries ago, at least according to the fragmentary accounts we have. I only suspect it may be on the Outer Continent, but I do not know for certain where it is."

Garnet sat shakily down, her expression filled with shock. "…It was all a lie?"

"Your parents loved you as if you were their own flesh and blood, Princess. I believe that they viewed your advent as recompense from the gods for their true daughter's demise. And I considered it a great honour to be your teacher, regardless of your parentage. I still do. I have never been of the opinion that it is blood that makes one noble, worthy of being a ruler. It is other qualities. You are both an intelligent and compassionate girl. Somewhat sheltered, yes, but beneath that quiet façade is a core of inner strength and a desire to better yourself. How much of that is innate to your nature, and how much was due to your upbringing, I do not know. The best scholars have argued over such things for years. However, one thing is clear. Regardless of your origins and upbringing, you are yourself."

After a moment, Garnet nodded. "Thank you, Doctor Tot."

"Incidentally, what happened? How did you end up in Treno in the first place?"

"It's a long story," Zidane said. "Did Cid tell you about Garnet leaving Alexandria?"

"Yes, albeit in code," Tot said. "He did say you had left for Burmecia. And yet, here you are."

"Kuja here attempted to kidnap Garnet to extract her Eidolons," Zidane said. "I followed like the dashing idiot I was, and it was Garnet who saved me using one of her Eidolons. We ended up crash-landing near Treno, though. That's the abridged version."

"And, like all abridged versions, it tends to be either a pale shade of the original, or else a parody," came the cultured, lilting voice of Kuja. The three others present whirled to face Kuja, who had finally woken up, and was smirking at them all, despite being tied up. "I heard something of your conversation. Brahne had told me about your origins, my little canary. I found it amusing. But did you ever see fit to ask Zidane about his own origins?"

"He told me he was a foundling," Garnet said. "You claim to be his brother."

"Brother in purpose, in any case. Genetically speaking, we are closer to distant cousins," Kuja said.

"Zidane's nothing like you!" Garnet snapped. "You're a cruel, vicious monster!"

"A monster, am I? A harsh assessment, Princess, but I suppose I am a monster. I was created to be one, an Angel of Death." Then, Kuja's smirk grew even more vicious than before. "But then again, you should consider the company you keep, Princess, for you see, not only was I created to be a monster… _but so too was Zidane_."

 **CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, here you have it. Garnet's becoming more powerful and has learned about her true parentage. Unfortunately, Zidane has as well.**

 **Now, some of you might be thinking that Kuja spilled the beans about Zidane's true nature rather too readily. Keep in mind, though, that throughout most of the game, Kuja is invariably in a position of strength compared to Zidane. However, Kuja has been captured, and he needs to use his wits to get out of it. He's hoping that by telling Zidane the truth about who he is and where he comes from, especially in front of Garnet, he will sow discord in the enemy camp, and hopefully demoralise Zidane enough that Kuja can make a clean getaway. Also, Kuja's a bloody sadist who enjoys watching people suffer physically and mentally, and I'm sure that Zidane and Garnet in anguish will keep him warm at night.**

 **KHR-Yunalesca** **: He did it out of sadism, to hurt Freya and Zidane, and hopefully demoralise them.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


End file.
